Destined for the Church, Federico Maria was educated in Rome at the Jesuit college and in Brescia. In 1758, upon accession to the papacy, Pope Clement XIII, a Venetian like himself, called him to Rome as his domestic prelate and secret waiter. After Clement XIII died, he returned to Venice where the Senate elected him bishop of Chioggia on 15 April 1773,[3] appointment confirmed by the Pope on 12 July 1773,[4] after he had obtained on 24 May 1773 a doctorate in utroque iure at the University of Padua.[5] The next 18 July he was consecrated bishop in Rome by Cardinal Carlo Rezzonico.[4]
In January 1776, upon the death of Patriarch Giovanni Bragadin, aided by family wealth and the good reputation of his government of the diocese of Chioggia, the Venetian Senate elected him Patriarch of Venice and Primate of Dalmatia, confirmed by Pope Pius VI on next 20 May.[4]
During his patriarchate Giovanelli witnessed the fall of the Republic of Venice in May 1797, occupied by Napoleonic troops. Called to swear allegiance to the new regime, he came accompanied by the clergy and, almost blind, had the parish priest of San Bartolomeo read a diplomatic declaration inviting the people to abide by the new laws while respecting religion. After the Treaty of Campo Formio, by which Venice was dependent on Austrian monarchy, the Emperor Francis II appointed Federico Maria a secret advisor and Pope Pius VI, on the way to his captivity in France, an apostolic delegate.
Federico Maria Giovanelli died in Venice on 10 January 1800 to apoplexy during the 1799–1800 papal conclave which had been convened in Venice. His funeral was held on 19 February in the church of San Francesco della Vigna, his state funeral was held in St Mark's Basilica on 13 March,[1] and he was buried in the cathedral of San Pietro di Castello in Venice.[6]
