Editing Pope Pius VII (section)

===Consistories===

{{main|Cardinals created by Pius VII}}

Pius VII created 99 cardinals in nineteen consistories including notable ecclesial figures of that time such as Ercole Consalvi, [[Bartolomeo Pacca]], and [[Carlo Odescalchi]]. The Pope also named his two immediate successors as cardinals: [[Pope Leo XII|Annibale della Genga]] and [[Pope Pius VIII|Francesco Saverio Castiglioni]] (the latter of whom it is said Pius VII and his successor would refer to as "Pius VIII").

[[File:Leviation of pope Pius VII while Reading Mass Wellcome M0005442.jpg|thumb|left|160px|The "miracle" of Pius VII in 1811]]

In addition, Pius VII named 12 cardinals whom he reserved "''[[in pectore]]''". One died before his nomination could ever be published (he was originally nominated in the 1804 consistory), [[Marino Carafa di Belvedere]] resigned his cardinalate on 24 August 1807 upon citing a lack of family descendance, and [[Carlo Odescalchi]] resigned the cardinalate on 21 November 1838 to enter the [[Society of Jesus]].<ref name=SMC>{{cite web|url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/consistories-xix.htm#PiusVII|title=Pius VII (1800-1823)|publisher=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church|author=Salvador Miranda|date=|accessdate=22 February 2022}}</ref>

In 1801, according to [[Remigius Ritzler]], Pius VII nominated [[Paolo Luigi Silva]] as a cardinal ''in pectore'', however, he died before his name could be published. As a result, Pius VII added the Archbishop of Palermo [[Domenico Pignatelli di Belmonte]] in his place. In the March 1816 consistory, the former [[Ancient Diocese of Saint-Malo|bishop of Saint-Malo]] [[Gabriel Cortois de Pressigny]] was among the cardinals created ''in pectore'' in the consistory, though he declined the promotion. Similarly, Giovanni Alliata declined the pope's offer for elevation in the same consistory. According to Niccolò del Re, the [[Vice Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church|Vice-Camerlengo]] [[Tiberio Pacca]] would have been created a cardinal either in the March 1823 consistory, or a future one held by the pope. However, he suggests that a series of controversies beginning in 1820 prevented the pope from naming him to the Sacred College.<ref name=SMC/>