Giuseppe Bertello | |
|---|---|
| President Emeritus of the Governorate of Vatican City State | |
 Cardinal Bertello in July 2016. | |
| Appointed | 1 October 2011 |
| Term ended | 1 October 2021 |
| Predecessor | Giovanni Lajolo |
| Successor | Fernando Vérgez Alzaga |
| Other post(s) | |
| Previous post(s) | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Benin(1987–1990) Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Ghana(1987–1990) Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Togo(1987–1990) Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda(1990–1995) Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations in Geneva(1995–2000) Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico(2000–2006) Apostolic Nuncio to Italy(2006–2011) Apostolic Nuncio to San Marino(2006–2011) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 June 1966 by Albino Mensa |
| Consecration | 28 November 1987 by Agostino Casaroli |
| Created cardinal | 18 February 2012 byBenedict XVI |
| Rank |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | (1942-10-01)1 October 1942 (age 82) |
| Denomination | Roman Catholicism |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy |
| Motto | Narrabo nomen tuum |
| Coat of arms |  |
Ordination history of Giuseppe Bertello | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Styles of Giuseppe Bertello | |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Giuseppe Bertello (born 1 October 1942) is an Italianprelate of theCatholic Church, acardinal since 2012, who wasPresident of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate ofVatican City State from October 2011 to October 2021. He worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1971 to 2011; became an archbishop in 1987; held appointments as Nuncio to several countries, including Rwanda, Mexico, and Italy; and was the Holy See's representative to a number of international organizations.
Bertello was ordained a priest on 29 June 1966 by Bishop Albino Mensa. He earned alicence in pastoraltheology and a doctorate incanon law. He went on to attend thePontifical Ecclesiastical Academy where he studied diplomacy.
He entered the diplomatic service of theHoly See in 1971, and worked until 1973 in the nunciature to theSudan, which was also the apostolic delegation for the Red Sea region. From 1973 to 1976, he was secretary at the nunciature toTurkey, becoming aChaplain of His Holiness on 9 February 1976. He was secretary in the nunciature toVenezuela from 1976 to 1981, and served with the rank of auditor in the Office of the Organization of the United Nations in Geneva from 1981 to 1987. In 1987, he headed the delegation of observers of the Holy See to the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries inPyongyang, North Korea, where he was the first Catholic priest to visit the small Catholic community of that country, isolated since the Korean War.
On 17 October 1987,Pope John Paul II named himTitular Archbishop ofUrbs Salvia and appointed himApostolic Nuncio toGhana, Togo andBenin. He wasconsecrated on 28 November by CardinalAgostino Casaroli, with Bishops Albino Mensa and Luigi Bettazzi as the principal co-consecrators. On 12 January 1990, he was transferred toRwanda, where he supported human rights organizations and encouraged Catholic bishops to unite as forceful advocates forending civil war.[1] He remained at his post and traveled into dangerous regions to bear witness to theTutsi Genocide in 1994.[2] In March 1995, John Paul II appointed himPermanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva from 1997, with the same role at theWorld Trade Organization. Upon his appointment Bertello negotiated the status of the Holy See as permanent observer in the World Trade Organization, becoming its first representative that year.[3]
On 27 December 2000, John Paul named himApostolic Nuncio to Mexico.[4] On 30 July 2002, he received the Pope arriving on an apostolic visit in the country for thecanonisation ofJuan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. On 11 January 2006, Bertello was appointedApostolic Nuncio to Italy and theRepublic of San Marino byPope Benedict XVI.[5]
In 2007, Bertello was awarded the Grand Cross of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle and on 4 October 2008 he was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic.[6]
On 3 September 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bertello President of thePontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate ofVatican City State, effective 1 October 2011, his 69th birthday.[7] On 6 January 2012, Pope Benedict announced that Bertello would be made a cardinal.[8][9] He was createdCardinal-Deacon ofSanti Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia on 18 February.[10] On 21 April Benedict appointed him to a five-year term as a member of theCongregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, theCongregation for Bishops, and thePontifical Council for Justice and Peace.[11]
He was one of thecardinal electors who participated in the2013 papal conclave that electedPope Francis.[12]
On 13 April 2013 he was appointed to theCouncil of Cardinal Advisers established by Francis to advise him in devising a plan for restructuring theRoman Curia.[13] Francis made him a member of theAdministration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See on 10 November 2014[14] and a member of theCongregation for the Causes of Saints on 3 December 2016.[15] Francis also renewed his appointment at the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State to 2021.[16]
On 15 October 2020, Pope Francis renewed his term on the Council of Cardinal Advisers.[17]
On 8 September 2021, Pope Francis appointed BishopFernando Vérgez Alzaga to succeed Bertello as President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, effective 1 October 2021, his 79th birthday.[18]
On 4 March 2022, he was elevated to the rank of cardinal priest.[19]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | — TITULAR — Archbishop of Urbs Salviapro hac vice 1987–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Cardinal-Deacon ofSanti Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia 2012–present | Incumbent |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda 1990–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations in Geneva 1995–2000 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico 2000–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Italy 2006–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Apostolic Nuncio to San Marino 2006–2011 | ||
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of the Governorate of the Vatican 2011–2021 | Succeeded by |
| President of the Pontifical Commission of the Vatican 2011–2021 | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
