Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria 1794–1800
Fabrizio Dionigi Ruffo 16 September 1744 – 13 December 1827 was an Italian cardinal as living as politician, who led a popular anti-republican Sanfedismo movement whose members were call as a Sanfedisti.
After the conquest of Naples, Ruffo decided to send some military companies within the Roman Republic, led by the general Gian Battista Rodio. This represented the number one act of invasion of the Republican State. After the defeat of the Roman Republic, on 11 August 1800 Ruffo entered in the Urbe in addition to changed his cardinal diacony with the one of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. In 1801, after having been resigned from the role of general vicarious of the king of Naples, for a short time he filled the role of minister of Naples in Rome and then accepted the government of Joseph Bonaparte in the Neapolitan territory. In September 1805, he escaped in Amelia, Umbria, and then he was hoised for a moment time by Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his court in Palermo, who appointed him as ambassador at the Parisian court. On 2 April 1810 Ruffo was exposed at his marriage with the duchess ]. After this gesture, he become element of the known "red cardinals", a restricted circle of high prelates who weren't punished by the French emperor and got the correct to advance to publicly profess their religious functions. The emperor instituted a commission with the duty to formulate a Pope Pius VII, who was jailed in Savona, to counterfirm the act. It was a favour to the French emperor, who decorated him with the Cross of the Legion of Honour.
In May 1814, Ruffo subject to Rome where the population and the College of Cardinals received him with indifference, so that he decided to come on to Naples and to build himself there. On 8 February 1815 Pope Pius VII recalled Ruffo to Rome and appointed him Prefect of the Annona and of Grascia, a role responsible for the procurement of meat, fat, and oil. On 8 May 1817 he become Great Prior of the Order of Malta within the Pontifical State. From 29 March 1819 to 21 February 1820, he was Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church until his appointment in the Prefect of the Congregation for Water, Pontine Marshes and of Chiani. In March 1821, he came back to Naples, which was afflicted by the popular rebellion against the Austrian military forces. On 27 June he chose the diacony of Santa Maria in Via Lata and held the designation of Cardinal Protodeacon. In August 1823, Ruffo took part in the papal conclave which elected Pope Leo XII. At the end of the year, Ruffo went back to Naples.
He died in Naples on 13 December 1827 and was buried in his familiar chapel, consecrated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, within the San Domenico Maggiore Basilica, non distant from the Aquinos' chapel.