Leopold Ernst von Firmian (September 22, 1708 – 13 March 1783) was an Austrian bishop and cardinal.
He was Bishop of Seckau from 1739 to 1763, campaigning against Protestantism. He also acted as coadjutor bishop or administrator of the Bishopric of Trento, from 1748 to 1758. As Prince-Bishop of Passau from 1763 to 1783, he was a more tolerant reforming Catholic. He became Cardinal of S. Pietro in Montorio in 1772.
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Family
Firmian, came from the Tyrolean noble family of Firmian. Born in Trent, he was the eldest son of imperial chamberlain Baron Franz Alfons Georg von Firmian and his wife Countess Barbara Elisabeth von Thun. Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian, archbishop of Salzburg, was his uncle. His brother Franz was special confidant of Emperor Joseph; another brother was the Austrian plenipotentiary of Milan, Charles Joseph von Firmian.
Life
After completing his studies at the gymnasium in Trent, he took up the study of philosophy in Graz. In 1726, he entered the Collegium Germanicum in Rome to study theology. He left Rome for health reasons in 1729, and completed his law studies in Salzburg.
He was ordained by his uncle the archbishop, on September 25, 1729, with papal dispensation as he had not yet reached canonical age. He became Dean of the metropolitan cathedral chapter of Salzburg, where he distinguished himself as an outstanding administrator, as well as a shrewd diplomat.