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Fortunato Frezza

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His Eminence
Fortunato Frezza
Canon of St. Peter's Basilica
Master of Ceremonies of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Cardinal Frezza, 2024
Cardinal Frezza, 2024
Church Roman Catholic Church
Appointed 29 September 2013
Other post Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata (2022-)
Previous posts Under-Secretary of the Synod of Bishops (1997–2014)
Titular Archbishop of Treba (2022)
Orders
Ordination 28 June 1966
by Luigi Rosa
Consecration 23 July 2022
by Mauro Gambetti
Created cardinal 27 August 2022
by Pope Francis
Rank Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Born Fortunato Frezza
6 February 1942
Montecalvello, Italy
Motto Loquendo Scripturas aperiens

Fortunato Frezza (born 6 February 1942) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who devoted his career to Biblical scholarship and teaching. He has been a canon of St. Peter's Basilica since 2013.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal on 27 August 2022.

Biography

Fortunato Frezza was born in the Montecalvello neighborhood of Viterbo on 6 February 1942.[1] He studied at the minor seminary of Bagnoregio and the major seminary of Viterbo. On 28 June 1966 he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Bagnoregio by Bishop Luigi Rosa of Bagnoregio.[2] He obtained a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1967 and a degree in sacred scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in 1977 with a thesis on the book of the prophet Micah.[3]

From 1971 to 1984 he was parish priest of Sipicciano. During those years he also taught of sacred scripture in various places: as an assistant at the Pontifical Gregorian University; at La Quercia Viterbo Regional Seminary; at institutes of religious studies im Albano, Civita Castellana, and Viterbo; at the theological schools of the Congregation of St. Joseph in Viterbo and of the Salesians in the Holy Land.[4]

In 1983 he joined the staff of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops[4] and on 23 June 1997 he was named its under-secretary by Pope John Paul II. On 13 December 2011 Pope Benedict XVI confirmed his appointment as under-secretary until his 72nd birthday.[5]

In September 2013, Pope Francis appointed him a canon of St. Peter's Basilica and he was invested on 29 September;[6] in 2022 he became Camerlengo of the Chapter of St. Peter in the Vatican. He has also held chaplaincies for Directorate of Health and Hygiene in the Vatican, for various monasteries of nuns, and for the football team A.S. Roma. He has authored numerous scholarly articles, especially in Biblical studies.[4]

He has been Master of Ceremonies and Spiritual Assistant of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre since 2015.[7]

He received his episcopal consecration on 23 July 2022 from Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, becoming titular archbishop of Treba.[8]

On 27 August 2022, Pope Francis made him a Cardinal-Deacon,[9] assigning him the deaconry Santa Maria in Via Lata.[10]

See also

  • Cardinals created by Pope Francis

References

  1. Back to citation Venanzi, Daniela (31 May 2022). "Viterbo, le prime parole del neo cardinale Fortunato Frezza: "Stupito e incredulo"". Corriere di Viterbo (in Italian). Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  2. Back to citation "Mons. Fortunato Frezza nominato Cardinale". Diocese of Viterbo (in Italian). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022 – via Facebook.
  3. Back to citation "Annuncio di Concistoro il 27 agosto per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 29.05.2022" (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  4. Back to citation occurrence 4.0 Back to citation occurrence 4.1 Back to citation occurrence 4.2 White, Christopher (29 May 2022). "Pope Francis names 16 new cardinal electors, including San Diego's Bishop McElroy". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  5. Back to citation Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF) (in Italian). Vol. CIV. Tipografia poliglotta vaticana. January 2012. p. 76. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  6. Back to citation "Papa Francesco nomina Canonico di San Pietro un sacerdote viterbese". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 26 September 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  7. Back to citation "A great joy for the Order". The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  8. Back to citation Muolo, Mimmo (23 July 2022). "Fortunato Frezza diventa vescovo. Ad agosto sarà cardinale". Avvenire (in Italian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  9. Back to citation Arocho Esteves, Junno (27 August 2022). "Pope Creates 20 New Cardinals, Including San Diego Bishop". The Tablet. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  10. Back to citation "Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali" [Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals]. The Holy See (in Italian). Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice. 27 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.