1623 - Religion

Religion

Pope Gregory XV dies at Rome July 8 at age 69 after a 2-year reign in which he has introduced the secret ballot for papal elections and established the Church's first permanent board of control of its foreign missionaries (the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith). He is succeeded August 6 by Mateo Cardinal Barberini, 55, who 3 years ago wrote a poem in honor of Galileo Galilei and will reign until 1644 as Urban VIII.