James Gibbons | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal Archbishop of Baltimore | |
 | |
| See | Archdiocese of Baltimore |
| Appointed | May 29, 1877 (coadjutor) |
| Installed | October 3, 1877 |
| Term ended | March 24, 1921 |
| Predecessor | James Roosevelt Bayley |
| Successor | Michael Joseph Curley |
| Other post(s) | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere |
| Previous post(s) | Bishop of Richmond (1872–77) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 30, 1861 by Francis Kenrick |
| Consecration | August 15, 1868 by Martin John Spalding |
| Created cardinal | June 7, 1886 by Leo XIII |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 23, 1834 |
| Died | March 24, 1921 (aged 86) Baltimore, Maryland |
| Motto | Emitte spiritum tuum (Send forth your spirit) |
| Signature |  |
James Cardinal Gibbons (July 23, 1834 – March 24, 1921) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Apostolic Vicar of North Carolina from 1868 to 1872, Bishop of Richmond from 1872 to 1877, and as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1877 until his death.
Gibbons was consecrated a bishop on August 16, 1868, at the Baltimore Cathedral. The principal consecrator was Archbishop Martin J. Spalding. He was 34 years of age, serving as the first apostolic vicar of North Carolina. He attended the First Vatican Council in Rome where he voted in favor of defining the dogma of papal infallibility.
In 1872, Gibbons was named Bishop of Richmond by Pope Pius IX. In 1877, Gibbons was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore, the oldest episcopal see in the United States. During his 44 years as Baltimore's archbishop, Gibbons became one of the most recognizable Catholic figures in the country. He defended the rights of organized labor and helped convince Pope Leo XIII to give his consent to labor unions. In 1886, Gibbons was appointed to the College of Cardinals, becoming the second cardinal in American history, after Cardinal John McCloskey, archbishop of New York.