Michele Lega

Early life and priesthood

Michele Lega was born on 1 January 1860 in Brisighella, Italy. His mother was Countess Giulia Baldini di Rimini, his father was Giacomo Lega, an engineer and he was one of five children.

He was educated at the Seminary of Faenza and the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare, where he earned doctorates in theology, philosophy and a doctorate utriusque iuris (in both canon and civil law in 1888.

He was ordained on 13 September 1883 in the diocese of Faenza. He served as a faculty member of the Pontificio Collegio Urbano de Propaganda Fide in Rome from 1887 until 1889. He then held the position of professor of philosophy until 1890 as well as being assistant professor of canon law from 1888 to 1889. He was a faculty member of the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare from 1889 to 1893. He was made Privy Chamberlain on 11 August 1897. He was a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Codification of Canon Law and thus helped edit the 1917 Code of Canon Law. He was the Dean of the Roman Rota from 1908 until 1914.