Fernando Vérgez Alzaga | |
|---|---|
| President Emeritus of the Governorate of Vatican City State | |
 Vérgez in 2024 | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed | 8 September 2021 |
| Installed | 1 October 2021 |
| Term ended | 1 March 2025 |
| Predecessor | Giuseppe Bertello |
| Successor | Raffaella Petrini |
| Other post | Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria della Mercede e Sant'Adriano a Villa Albani (2022–) |
| Previous posts | Director of the Internet Office of the Holy See (2004–08) Director of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Vatican City State (2008–21) Secretary General of the Governorate for the Vatican City State (2013–21) Titular Bishop of Villamagna in Proconsulari (2013–21) Titular Archbishop of Villamanga in Proconsulari (2021–22) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 26 November 1969 by Ildebrando Antoniutti |
| Consecration | 15 November 2013 by Pope Francis |
| Created cardinal | 27 August 2022 by Pope Francis |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Fernando Vérgez Alzaga (1945-03-01)1 March 1945 (age 80) |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Gregorian University |
| Motto | Christus in vobis spes gloriae (Christ in you, the hope of glory) |
| Coat of arms | .svg) |
| Styles of Fernando Vérgez Alzaga | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Religious style | Cardinal |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Fernando Vérgez AlzagaL.C. (born 1 March 1945) is aSpanish Catholic prelate who served asPresident of the Pontifical Commission and Governorate for Vatican City State from 2021 to 2025. He was Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State from 2013 to 2021, and before that, director of the Vatican City State Telecommunications Directorate.
He has worked in theRoman Curia since 1972. He was made a bishop in 2013 and given the personal title of archbishop in 2021. Pope Francis made him acardinal on 27 August 2022. He is the first member of theLegionaries of Christ to become a cardinal.[1] He is a member of theCouncil of Cardinals.
Vérgez was born inSalamanca on 1 March 1945. On 25 December 1965 he made a profession of faith with the clerical congregation of theLegion of Christ, and on 26 November 1969 was ordained as a priest by CardinalIldebrando Antoniutti. Vérgez studied at thePontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning degrees in philosophy and theology, and then a diploma as an archivist from theVatican Secret Archives.[2]
In 1972 he entered the service of theRoman Curia as an assistant in theCongregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. In April 1984 he moved to thePontifical Council for the Laity. He was appointed head of the ordinary section of theAdministration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See and in June 2004 became head of the Internet Office of the Holy See. On 1 February 2008,Pope Benedict XVI appointed Vérgez as Telecommunications Director of the Vatican City, with thePoste Vaticane.[3] On 30 August 2013,Pope Francis promoted him to be Secretary General of theGovernorate of Vatican City State, succeeding BishopGiuseppe Sciacca.[2]
On 15 October 2013 Pope Francis named Vérgeztitular bishop ofVillamagna in Proconsulari,[4] and on 15 November, inSt Peter's Basilica, he was consecrated as a bishop by the pope, assisted by CardinalGiuseppe Bertello and BishopBrian Farrell.[5]
On 5 October 2020, Pope Francis appointed him to the five-member commission for reserved matters, a financial oversight board responsible for monitoring contracts that fall outside normal procedures and which for security reasons are not made public.[6]
On 8 September 2021, Pope Francis appointed him to succeed CardinalGiuseppe Bertello as President of thePontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate ofVatican City State, effective 1 October 2021. He was also given the personal title of archbishop.[7]
On 27 August 2022, Pope Francis made him acardinal deacon,[8] assigning him the deaconrySanta Maria della Mercede e Sant'Adriano a Villa Albani.[9]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary-General of the Governatorate of the Vatican City State 30 August 2013 – 30 September 2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State 1 October 2021 – 1 March 2025 | Succeeded by |
