Born in
Genoa, Fransoni was ordained a priest on 14 March 1807, at 31 years of age, by Cardinal
Pietro Francesco Galeffi. On 7 September 1822, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of
Nazianzus and ordained to the episcopate three months later. On 21 January 1823, aged 47, he was appointed
Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal. On 2 October 1826, aged 50, he was elevated to the cardinalate and named cardinal priest of the
Basilica of
Santa Maria in Aracoeli. On 21 November 1834, Fransoni was appointed prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in the
Curia. On 28 September 1855, aged almost 80, his titular church was changed to that of the Church of
San Lorenzo in Lucina. Fransoni died on 20 April 1856, aged 80. He had been a priest for 49 years, a bishop for 33 and a cardinal for almost 30. Fransoni is in the
episcopal lineage of
Pope Francis. Among those whom he ordained as priests was the English convert,
John Henry Newman,
Cong.Orat. ==References==