Fernando Filoni | |
|---|---|
| Grand Master of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre | |
 Filoni in 2019 | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed | 8 December 2019 |
| Installed | 16 January 2020 |
| Predecessor | Edwin Frederick O’Brien |
| Other post(s) |
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| Previous post(s) |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 3 July 1970 by Antonio Rosario Mennonna |
| Consecration | 19 March 2001 by Pope John Paul II |
| Created cardinal | 18 February 2012 byPope Benedict XVI |
| Rank | Cardinal-Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Fernando Filoni (1946-04-15)15 April 1946 (age 78) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Residence | Vatican City |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Lateran University |
| Motto |
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| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Fernando Filoni | |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Fernando Filoni (born 15 April 1946) is an Italiancardinal of theCatholic Church who serves asGrand Master of theEquestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. He wasPrefect of theCongregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2011 to 2019. He is an expert inChinese affairs and on theMiddle East.
Filoni was born inManduria nearTaranto, Italy. He entered the seminary and earned doctorates in Philosophy and inCanon Law from thePontifical Lateran University. He was ordained a priest on 3 July 1970. He served in the Nunciatures ofSri Lanka from 1981 until 1983,Iran from 1983 to 1985,Brazil from 1989 to 1992 and thePhilippines from 1992 until 2000. Although formally assigned to theApostolic Nunciature to the Philippines, he was based inHong Kong. During this time Archbishop Filoni wasPope John Paul II's bridge to China's bishops, official andnon-official Churches and bishops, in the hope of reconciling them to theHoly See.[1]
Pope John Paul II appointed Filoni asapostolic nuncio toIraq andJordan on 17 January 2001, naming himtitularArchbishop ofVolturnum.[2] He received episcopal consecration from Pope John Paul II on 19 March 2001. He choseLumen Gentium Christus as his episcopal motto.[3]
Archbishop Filoni defended the freedom of the Catholic Church in Iraq under the regime ofSaddam Hussein and – in line with the Pope's position – opposed theUS invasion of the country in 2003.[4] He remained inBaghdad as American bombs fell,[5] which he called "nothing exceptional".[6] WhenMario Vargas Llosa visited him in Baghdad in 2003, he described Filoni as "small, astute, tough as nails, talkative and an expert on emergencies", who described sadly how, just as predicted, it was "incredibly difficult to administer the peace".[7] After the fall of Saddam he recognized the new-found freedom enjoyed by the people, but he warned against thelack of security and the slow development of the economy. He expressed mixed feelings towards thenew constitution, which he described as both a "positive step towards normalization in the country" and "contradictory in some areas",[8] and supported the peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
He came close to being killed in Baghdad on 1 February 2006, when a car bomb exploded next to the nunciature.[9] He served in Iraq and Jordan until 25 February 2006 when he was named Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.[10]
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop FiloniSubstitute for General Affairs on 9 June 2007, effective 1 July.[4] During his four years as Substitute, it was Filoni's job to organise the activities of theCuria and the care of official translations of papal documents and correspondence; encryption dispatches messengers to be sent to the Registry of the papal letters, the resolution of legal issues, personnel management in the Curia and nunciatures, protocol and etiquette for visiting heads of state, information and media management, and Vatican archive management. He was also responsible for organizing the activities of nuncios around the world in their activities concerning the local churches.
Observers noted that during his time as substitute, Filoni never established a strong rapport with his immediate superior, Secretary of StateTarcisio Bertone.[11]
In 2008, Archbishop Filoni was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic.[12]
In his August 2018"Testimony", ArchbishopCarlo Maria Viganò reported that on 25 May 2008 he had sent Filoni a summary of information provided by an ex-priest named Gregory Littleton who attested to sexual abuse of priests and seminarians by CardinalTheodore McCarrick along with the information included inRichard Sipe's recently published "Statement for Pope Benedict XVI" on McCarrick's sexual misconduct. He said that Filoni "knew in every detail the situation regarding Cardinal McCarrick".[13] Filoni received checks totalling $3,500 from McCarrick between 2008 and 2013.[14]
On 10 May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Filoni Prefect of theCongregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Vatican department in charge of administering mission territories, in succession toIvan Cardinal Dias, who had reached retirement age and had health problems.[15]La Nazione remarked that to be reassigned after only four years as Substitute was unusual and speculated that Filoni had been moved because of a "stormy" relationship with Bertone.[16]
The Holy See announced on 6 January 2012 that he would be created a cardinal on 18 February. He was createdCardinal-Deacon ofNostra Signora di Coromoto. On 24 April 2012 Filoni was made a member of theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and theCongregation for Catholic Education.[17] On 24 November 2012 he was appointed a member of thePontifical Council for Legislative Texts.[18] Filoni took part in the 2013conclave that electedPope Francis, and was considered to be apapabile, or possible candidate to be elected pope.[9]
Based on his work with the people ofIraq, Filoni wroteThe Church in Iraq.[19]
Pope Francis raised him to the rank of Cardinal Bishop effective 28 June 2018.[20]
Pope Francis named CardinalLuis Antonio Tagle to succeed Filoni as Prefect of the Congregation on 8 December 2019.[21]
Pope Francis named him Grand Master of theEquestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on 8 December 2019.[22]
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Head of Holy See Study Mission to Hong Kong 1992 – 17 January 2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq 17 January 2001 – 25 February 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan 17 January 2001 – 25 February 2006 | ||
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines 25 February 2006 – 9 June 2007 | Succeeded by |
| Catholic Church titles | ||
| Preceded by | — TITULAR — Titular Archbishop of Volturno 17 January 2001 – 18 February 2012 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Substitute for General Affairs 1 July 2007 – 10 May 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples 10 May 2011 – 8 December 2019 | Succeeded by |
| President of the Interdicasterial Commission for Consecrated Religious 10 May 2011 – 8 December 2019 | ||
| Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urban University 10 May 2011 – 8 December 2019 | ||
| Preceded by | Cardinal Deacon ofNostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio 18 February 2012 – 28 June 2018 | Himself as Cardinal Bishop |
| Himself as Cardinal Deacon | Cardinal Bishop of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio 28 June 2018 – | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Grand Master of Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem 8 December 2019 – | |
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