Gaetano Bisleti was born in
Veroli,
Italy. He was educated at the
Seminary of
Tivoli and the
Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles, where he obtained a
doctorate in
theology in 1879. Bisleti was ordained on 20 September 1878. He was appointed Canon and
archdeacon of the cathedral chapter of Veroli where he served until 1884. He was created
Privy chamberlain de numero participantium on 20 December 1884. He was raised to the level of Domestic prelate and master of papal chamber on 29 May 1901. He was awarded the numerous orders and decorations: •
Commander of the Order of the Crown of Prussia •
Commander of the Order of Ferdinand IV of Tuscany • Commander of the
Order of the Crown of Siam • Grand Cross of the
Royal Saxon Albrecht Order 09.03.1906 • Knight grand Cross in the
Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa. 1909 • medal
Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice. In May and June 1907, when Bisleti was still a Monsignor and Maggiodomo di Sua Santita, the Swiss-born American artist
Adolfo Müller-Ury (1862-1947) who was in Rome painting a large portrait of Pope
Pius X (North American College, Via dei Umilta, Rome), and had painted two portraits of Cardinal
Rafael Merry del Val, also completed a portrait of Bisleti, a fact that was recorded in the New York Herald on Sunday 27 December 1908. ==Cardinalate==