Raffaele Mazio was born in Rome on October 24, 1765. After his entry into the clerical state, he became master of pontifical ceremonies at the end of the pontificate of Pius VI and under Pius VII. He also cooperated with Cardinal Consalvi in the area of diplomatic relations. He was appointed as assessor to the Holy Office in 1824 and created cardinal on March 15, 1830.

When he was traveling through Genoa in November of 1825, Father de Mazenod received from archbishop Luigi Lambruschini a letter of recommendation to Bishop Mazio. He went to see him at the Holy Office on December 12 and was “received with open arms.” They became friends and the Founder went to see him eleven times during his stay in Rome. He was received for dinner at his residence on four occasions. The issue of the approval of the Rule was hardly ever discussed between them, but it was thanks to Bishop Mazio, who was also a canon in St. Peter’s basilica, that the Founder was given a good place for the beatification ceremony of Ange of Acri on December 18, 1825, and at the Easter Mass of March 26, 1826. Cardinal Mazio died in Rome on February 4, 1832.

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.