Borromeo, Saint Charles

Borromeo, Saint Charles

(born Oct. 1538, Arona, duchy of Milan—died Nov. 3, 1584, Milan; canonized 1610; feast day November 4) Archbishop of Milan and leading figure in the Counter-Reformation. He earned a doctorate in canon and civil law at the University of Pavia in 1559. His uncle, Pope Pius IV, appointed him cardinal and archbishop of Milan in 1560. He was active in directing the Council of Trent, and he later helped execute its decrees and draw up the Roman catechism in 1566. He established seminaries and colleges in Milan and nearby cities and gained renown for his heroic behaviour during the plague of 1576–78.