Giovanni Stefano Ferrero

Giovanni Stefano Ferrero (1474–1510) (called the Cardinal of Bologna) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.

Biography

Giovanni Stefano Ferrero was born in Biella on 5 May 1474, the son of Sebastiano Ferrero and Tomena Avogadro.^[1] The Ferrero family was allied with the Acciaioli family, one of the most prominent families in the Republic of Florence.^[1] Gianstefano Ferrero's younger brother Bonifacio Ferrero also became a cardinal.^[1]

Ferrero studied canon law at the University of Padua.^[1] He then moved to Rome and became an Auditor of the Roman Rota.^[1] He next became a protonotary apostolic.^[1]

At the insistence of Blanche of Montferrat (regent for her son Charles II, Duke of Savoy), Ferrero was named coadjutor bishop of Vercelli on 24 April 1493.^[1] He succeeded as Bishop of Vercelli on 16 July 1499, occupying the see until 21 January 1502.^[1] He occupied the see again from 31 October 1503 until 5 November 1509, when he exchanged it with his brother Bonifacio Ferrero.^[1]

Pope Alexander VI made him a cardinal priest in pectore in the consistory of 28 September 1500.^[1] He was transferred to the see of Bologna on 24 January 1502; he occupied this see until his death.^[1] His creation as cardinal was published on 28 June 1502 and the same day he received the red hat and the titular church of San Vitale.^[1]

He participated in both the papal conclave of September 1503 that elected Pope Pius III and the papal conclave of October 1503 that elected Pope Julius II.^[1]

On 22 December 1505 he exchanged his titulus for Santi Sergio e Bacco, a deaconry raised pro illa vice to the status of titulus.^[1]

He was Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals from January 1506 until 1507.^[1]

On 5 November 1509 he exchanged his bishopric with his brother Bonifacio, becoming apostolic administrator of the see of Ivrea; he subsequently occupied this see until his death.^[1]

He died in Rome on 5 October 1510.^[1] He was initially buried in the Basilica di San Clemente.^[1] His remains were later transferred to Biella and buried in the church of San Sebastiano, a church of the Canons Regular of the Lateran.^[1]