Pellegrino, the bishop of Modena
Active secretary of the cardinal Alessandro d'Este and close friend of the cardinal Pietro Campori, Pellegrino Bertacchi was the archetype of the catholic prelate against the Reformation. Almost forgotten by the historians, he distinguished himself from his predecessors by supporting new religious orders and by promoting pious actions.
Pellegrino is born in Camporgiano (Garfagnana) 06.06.1567 in the family of the counts Bertacchi. Son of Cesare, administrator of the Garfagnana for the duke Alfonso I d'Este, and of Diamante Coiai, from a noble family too, he had two brothers, Sigismondo who succed his father in the local administration, and Jacopo, count of Coriano and Ligonchio. His uncles were Domenico, personal doctor of the same duke, and Sigismondo, historian. The Bertacchi's family was in the apogee of her history and faithful to the family d'Este.
We don't have news about the Pellegrino's youth. He was ordained priest about 1590 and next appointed like rector of the Castelnuovo's parish where his father Cesare moved house with the family some years before. In 1592, Pellegrino drew up a list of the city's heads of family, carrying out in this way the first census of Castelnuovo. Some times later Pellegrino was called by the cardinal Alessandro d'Este in Rome. During 5 years (1605-1610) he was put in charge of various diplomatic missions especially by the king of Spain. This missions lasted until his nomination by the pope Paul V like bishop of Modena (22 march 1610).
During the first years in Modena like bishop, Pellegrino Bertacchi was often called by the duke Cesare d'Este for new embassies in Spain. The last one was in 1621 by the duke of Feria, spanish governor of Milan. In spite of all this diplomatic activities for the family d'Este, Pellegrino didn't forget his pastor's duties.
Immediatly after his nomination in Rome and ont the way of return, the new bishop of Modena celebrated a mass in his old parish of Castelnuovo, with a special permission of the pope and of the bishop of Lucca. In 1613, he asked his brother Sigismondo to give a ground to the Cappucini's religious order because they wanted to build a monastery. This monastery is actually still active. The duke Alfonso III d'Este came in this place after his abdication and his new life of monk. Pellegrino consecrated the church of San Bartolomeo in Modena built by the Jesuit (28 october 1615). In 1616, he was candidate to become cardinal, but Pietro Campori arrived ahead of him. Nevertheless Pellegrino was considerated best prelate by the roman curia. In 1626 he gave to Isabella of Savoye, spous of the duke Alfonso III the last sacrament. Friend of the poet Alessandro Tassoni, Pellegrino Bertacchi died some times later (22 august 1627) and was buried in the cathedral of Modena. The historian Anselmo Micotti indicated that his brothers Jacopo and Sigismondo wrote the following epitaph
D.O.M.
PEREGRINO BERTACCHIO MUTINAE EPISCOPO POST ANNUM LX
PEREGRINATIONEM CONSTANTER PIEQUE CONFECTAM AD COELESTEM UT SPES EST PATRIAM
II CALEND. SEPTEMBRIS REVOCATO
JACOBUS ET SIGISMUNDUS FRATRES AMANTISSIMI POSUERUNT
From his correspondence and from his edicts actually preserved in the records of the Modena's diocese we understand that Pellegrino was the first representative of a new bishop's generation, which must manage all the problems of the catholic church after her crash with the lutheranism and the Reformation. The pastor's duties of Pellegrino indicate a preoccupation to give to each faith's expression her place in the reconquest.
The Modena's cathedral