James Gibbons


James Gibbons
Cardinal, Archbishop of Baltimore
SeeArchdiocese of Baltimore
AppointedMay 29, 1877 (coadjutor)
InstalledOctober 3, 1877
Term endedMarch 24, 1921
PredecessorJames Roosevelt Bayley
SuccessorMichael Joseph Curley
Other postCardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere
Previous postBishop of Richmond (1872–77)
Orders
OrdinationJune 30, 1861
by Francis Kenrick
ConsecrationAugust 15, 1868
by Martin John Spalding
Created cardinalJune 7, 1886
by Leo XIII
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born(1834-07-23)July 23, 1834
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedMarch 24, 1921(1921-03-24) (aged 86)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
EducationSt. Charles College
St. Mary's Seminary
MottoEmitte spiritum tuum
(Send forth your spirit)
Signature
Styles of
James Gibbons
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Religious styleCardinal
Informal styleCardinal

James Gibbons (July 23, 1834 – March 24, 1921) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Baltimore for more than forty years, from 1877 until his death in 1921. Created a cardinal in 1886, he was the second American cardinal, after John McCloskey.

Ordained a bishop at age 34, Gibbons previously served as Apostolic Vicar of North Carolina (1868–1872) and Bishop of Richmond (1872–1877). In 1876, he published the apologetic book The Faith of Our Fathers, which became a best-selling work. During his time as Baltimore's archbishop, Gibbons became one of the most recognizable Catholic figures in the country. He defended the rights of organized labor and advocated for Americanism as a means of assimilation.