Cesare Zerba

His Eminence Cesare Zerba
Secretary of the Congregation of Sacramental Discipline
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Appointed	18 December 1958
Term ended	26 January 1965
Predecessor	Francesco Bracci
Successor	Giacomo Violardo
Other post(s)	Cardinal-Priest pro hac vice of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore (1965-73)
Orders
Ordination	4 July 1915
Consecration	21 September 1962 by Pope John XXIII
Created cardinal	22 February 1965 by Pope Paul VI
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Birth name	Cesare Zerba
Born	15 April 1892 Castelnuovo Scrivia, Kingdom of Italy
Died	11 July 1973(1973-07-11) (aged 81) Rome, Italy
Previous post(s)	Undersecretary of the Congregation of Sacramental Discipline (1939-58) Titular Archbishop of Colossae (1962-65)
Alma mater	Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare
Motto	Arx mea Dominus
Coat of arms

Styles of Cesare Zerba
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	none

Cesare Zerba (April 15, 1892 – July 11, 1973) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Roman Curia from 1958 to 1965, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1965.

Biography[]

Cesare Zerba was born in Castelnuovo Scrivia, and studied at the seminaries in Stazzano and Tortona, the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare in Rome, and the University of Pavia. Ordained to the priesthood on July 4, 1915, he then served as a military chaplain during World War I. Zerba began pastoral work in Rome from 1919, also working as an official of Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Roman Curia from 1924 to 1939.

He was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness on June 30, 1932, and later a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness and prelate of the Apostolic Signatura on April 23, 1939. Within the Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Zerba was made Undersecretary (May 5, 1939) and Secretary (December 18, 1958).

On August 28, 1962, Zerba was appointed Titular Archbishop of Colossae by Pope John XXIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 21 from Pope John himself, with Archbishops Francesco Carpino and Pietro Parente serving as co-consecrators, in the Lateran Basilica. From 1962 to 1965, Zerba attended the Second Vatican Council.

Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore in the consistory of February 22, 1965. Zerba resigned as Secretary of Discipline of the Sacraments on January 26, 1965, after six years of service. Never having the opportunity to participate in a papal conclave, the Cardinal lost the right to do so upon reaching the age of 80 on April 15, 1972.

Zerba died in Rome, at age 81. He is buried in his native Castelnuovo Scrivia.

External links[]

• Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
• Catholic-Hierarchy
• GCatholic.org