Italian cardinal; distinguished papal diplomat.
 
ALS – Autograph Letter Signed, one page, on Apostolic Nunciature Spain letterhead. Dated June 10, 1954.  Friendly letter to a colleague. Antonutti thanks his correspondent for the letter of June 3rd and for the recommendations to him. He adds to the letter the request of Javier Dieta [Antonutti writes from Madrid]  to Rev. Ramondt , praying to give it to the recipient. The sender will wait for a positive response.
 
The nuncio will be in San Sebastian at the end of July and asks his correspondent if it will be possible to meet. He hopes he can go to Italy in August. Antoniutti concludes by sending his best wishes.
 
Among his other diplomatic assignments were:  Portugal; Albania; Envoy to Spain; apostolic delegate in Canada and Newfoundland. During the period that he was nuncio in Spain, he engaged in negotiations for the exchange of prisoners and to offer aid to escaped priests from Communist-controlled zones. Names charge d’affaires before the Nationist government on September 21, Antoniutti presented his credentials to General Francisco Franco. Created a cardinal in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. Went on to serve as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. In 1974, after a stop in Florence, Antoniutti’s car collided with another car on the bypass of Bologna, resulting in the instantaneous death of the cardinal.