Mario Theodoli was an Italian

Italian people

The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

 Catholic

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 Cardinal

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

.

Theodoli was born 1601 in Rome, the son of Teodolo Theodoli, Marquis

Marquis

Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...

 of San Vito

San Vito

San Vito is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 45 km northeast of Cagliari.San Vito borders the following municipalities: Burcei, Castiadas, Muravera, Sinnai, Villaputzu, Villasalto....

, and his wife Flavia Fani. He was an ancestor of Cardinal Augusto Theodoli and a relative of Gerolamo Theodoli

Gerolamo Theodoli

Marchese Gerolamo Theodoli was an Italian nobleman and architect, best known for designing the Teatro Argentina in Rome...

. At a very young age he studied law and entered the service of the Church.

He was appointed Referendary

Referendary

Referendary is the English form or rendering of a number of administrative positions, of various rank, in chanceries and other official organisations.-Secular:...

 of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signatura

Apostolic Signatura

The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...

 of Justice and of Grace and proved himself a capable administrator. He was named Governor in a succession of comune

Comune

In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...

s and towns including:

• Terni
  Terni
  Terni is a city in southern Umbria, central Italy, capital of the province of Terni, located in the plain of the Nera river. It is 104 km N of Rome, 36 km NW of Rieti, and 29 km S of Spoleto.-History:...
  
   (1626)
• Cesena
  Cesena
  Cesena is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, co-chief of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. It is at the foot of the Apennines, and about 15 km from the Adriatic Sea.-History:Cesena was originally an Umbrian...
  
   (1627–1628)
• Orvieto
  Orvieto
  Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
  
   (1628–1629)
• Camerino
  Camerino
  Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches , in the province of Macerata, Italy. It is located in the Apennines bordering Umbria, between the valleys of the rivers Potenza and Chienti, about 40 miles from Ancona....
  
   (1630)
• Ancona
  Ancona
  Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
  
   (1631–1633)
• Viterbo
  Viterbo
  See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
  
   (1633–1634)

In 1638, he bought a clericate in the Apostolic Chamber and in 1642 he was appointed Protonotary apostolic participantium and ordinary judge

Judge

A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...

 of the Roman Curia

Roman Curia

The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...

.

He was elevated to cardinal by Pope Urban VIII

Pope Urban VIII

Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...

 in 1643 and was made Cardinal-Priest at the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio

Santi Bonifacio e Alessio

The Basilica dei Santi Bonifacio e Alessio is a church on the Aventine Hill in Rome, Italy, dedicated to Saint Boniface of Tarsus and Saint Alexius....

 that same year. Pope Urban died in 1644 and Theodoli participated in the Papal conclave of 1644

Papal conclave, 1644

The papal conclave of 1644 was the papal conclave of Cardinals called on the death of Pope Urban VIII. It lasted from 9 August to 15 September 1644 and eventually chose Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who took office as Pope Innocent X.- Urban's influence :...

 which elected Pope Innocent X

Pope Innocent X

Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...

. In the absence of Cardinal Alessandro Bichi

Alessandro Bichi

Alessandro Bichi was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and papal nuncio to France.-Biography:Bichi was born in Siena in 1596, the son of Vincenzo Bichi and nephew of Cardinal Metello Bichi....

, Theodoli was appointed Minister of France

Kingdom of France

The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...

 before the Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

.

Theodoli was elected Bishop of Imola in 1644 and was consecrated by Cardinal Ciriaco Rocci

Ciriaco Rocci

Ciriaco Rocci was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and papal nuncio to Switzerland, Austria and Cologne.Rocci was born in 1581 in Rome and studied literature before entering the service of the church....

 but resigned the government of the diocese because of ill health in 1646 and was transferred to the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo

Santa Maria del Popolo

Santa Maria del Popolo is an Augustinian church located in Rome, Italy.It stands to the north side of the Piazza del Popolo, one of the most famous squares in the city. The Piazza is situated between the ancient Porta Flaminia and the park of the Pincio...

which housed the Theodoli family chapel. He died on 27 June 1650.