Giovanni Battista Casali del Drago (30 January 1838 – 17 March 1908) was an Italian cardinal and member of the Italian noble family. He was a second cousin of the Prince del Drago.
He came from an aristocratic familyHouse of Names website, Casali Family Crest and was related to several cardinals including Antonio Casali, Savo Millini and Mario Millini. He graduated from the Roman Seminary, where he completed a doctorate in utroque iuris (civil and canon law). Florida International University website, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church section, Biographical Dictionary, Pope Leo XIII, Consistory of June 19, 1899
He was ordained a priest in 1860 and went on to become a canon of the Patriarchal Lateran Basilica and private chamberlain de numero participantium of Pope Blessed Pius IX. He later became a canon of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica and a prelate.
On November 29, 1895, he was appointed titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople Friesian website, Popes with residence in the Roman Curia. He was consecrated by Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro, the Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See. In June 1899, he was created cardinal-priest. Google Books website, Popes and Cardinals of the 20th Century: A Biographical Dictionary, by Harris M Lentz III, page 36
From 1901 to 1902, he was a Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. He took part in the conclave of 1903.California State University Northridge website, Sede Vacante 1903
He is buried in Campo Verano.
References
Bibliography Martin Bräuer, Handbuch der Kardinäle: 1846-2012 (Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2014).