Domenico Battaglia | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal, Archbishop of Naples | |
.jpg) Battaglia in 2018 | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Naples |
| See | Naples |
| Appointed | 12 December 2020 |
| Installed | 2 February 2021 |
| Predecessor | Crescenzio Sepe |
| Other post | Cardinal-Priest of San Marco in Agro Laurentino (2024–) |
| Previous post | Bishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de'Goti (2016–2020) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 6 February 1988 |
| Consecration | 3 September 2016 by Vincenzo Bertolone S.d.P. |
| Created cardinal | 7 December 2024 byPope Francis |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Domenico Battaglia (1963-01-20)20 January 1963 (age 62) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Catholic (Latin Rite) |
| Motto | Confide surge vocat Te |
| Coat of arms | .svg) |
| Styles of Domenico Battaglia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Naples |
Domenico "Mimmo"Battaglia[a] (born 20 January 1963) is anItalian Catholic prelate who has beenArchbishop of Naples since 2020. He was previouslyBishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de' Goti from 2016 to 2020. He was made a cardinal on 7 December 2024 byPope Francis, the last nominated before Pope Francis's death.[3]
Domenico Battaglia was born on 20 January 1963 inSatriano in the province ofCatanzaro. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Regional Seminary San Pio X in Catanzaro. After being ordained a priest on 6 February 1988, he was Rector of the Archiepiscopal Preparatory Seminary of Catanzaro and a member of the Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace from 1989 to 1992, parish administrator in Sant'Elia, parish priest of Madonna del Carmine in Catanzaro, Director of the Diocesan Office for Missionary Cooperation between Churches, and parish priest in Satriano from 1992 to 1999. He was collaborator of the Shrine of Santa Maria delle Grazie inTorre di Ruggiero, parish collaborator inMontepaone Lido and administrator of the parish of Santa Maria di Altavilla in Satriano.[4]
In 1992 he became President of the Calabrese Solidarity Center, which supports efforts to recover from drug addiction and is associated with the Italian Federation of Therapeutic Communities (Italian:Federazione italiana delle comunità terapeutiche or FICT). From 2000 to 2006 he was Vice President of the Bethany Foundation (Italian:Fondazione Betania) a non-profit organization that operates rehabilitation centers and residential healthcare facilities in the provinces of Catanzaro and Vibo Valentia.[4][5] From 2006 to 2015 he was National President of FICT.[4]
Pope Francis named him Bishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant’Agata de 'Goti on 24 June 2016.[6] He was the first priest of the diocese to become a bishop since 1960.[7] He received his episcopal consecration on 3 September from ArchbishopVincenzo Bertolone and was installed on 2 October.[1] He chose as his episcopal motto "Confide Surge Vocat Te" (Take heart, Stand Up, He is Calling) from Mark 10:49. While a bishop, he continued his work as a "street priest", which earned him the sobriquet "Bergoglio of the South".[2] In a pastoral letter in April 2020, he said that theCOVID-19 pandemic had "exposed the fragility of this world of ours ... the weakness of that economy which, both locally and globally, was considered the single goal, and was seen and applauded as the only route, without any restraints, to human happiness on earth".[8]
Pope Francis appointed Battaglia as Archbishop of Naples on 12 December 2020.[4] His installation was on 2 February 2021.[9]
On 4 November 2024, Francis announced he plans to make Battaglia a cardinal on 7 December.[10] On 7 December 2024, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him as a member of the order of cardinal priests the title ofSan Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino.[11]
He participated as acardinal elector in the2025 papal conclave that electedPope Leo XIV.[12]
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