(1834- ), an American Roman Catholic cardinal, born in Baltimore, and educated in Ireland. His education for the priesthood was obtained in Saint Charles College and in Saint Mary's Seminary in Maryland, where in 1861 he was ordained priest. He served as priest of Saint Patrick's Church, Baltimore, and in Saint Bridget's Church, Canton, near Baltimore. After acting as secretary to Archbishop Spalding, he was made chancellor of the archdiocese and later assistant chancellor of the plenary council which met in Baltimore. In 1868 he was made bishop of North Carolina and four years later of the see of Richmond. On the death of Archbishop Bailey, whose coadjutor he had been, Gibbons became head of the see of Baltimore, and thus he became the head of the Roman Catholic Church in North America. In 1886 Gibbons was created a cardinal by Leo XIII. He has written The Faith of Our Fathers, Our Christian Heritage and The Ambassador of Christ.