Matteo Maria Zuppi , archbishop of Bologna, is the prelate chosen by Pope Francis for the presidency of the Italian Episcopal Conference .
The announcement to the bishops was made by Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve, who read the communication from the pontiff.
"The bishops - informs the CEI - gathered for their 76th general assembly had proceeded with the election of the triad for the appointment of the President, in accordance with the provisions of the Statute".
In addition to Zuppi , Cardinal Paolo Lojudice and Monsignor Antonino Raspanti had been proposed.
THE BIOGRAPHY - Matteo Maria Zuppi was born in Rome on 11 October 1955 , the fifth of six children, he graduated in Literature and Philosophy at Sapienza University and attended the seminary of the suburbicarian diocese of Palestrina, following the courses of preparation for the priesthood at the Pontifical Lateran University .
Ordained a priest on 9 May 1981 , immediately afterwards he was appointed vicar of the parish priest of the Roman basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, succeeding him in 2000 for ten years.
From 2000 to 2012 he was general ecclesiastical assistant of the Community of Sant'Egidio , on behalf of which he was mediator in Mozambique in the process leading to peace after over seventeen years of bloody civil war.
On January 31, 2012, Benedict XVI appointed him titular bishop of Villanova and auxiliary of Rome. He receives episcopal ordination on the following 14 April, while on 27 October 2015 Pope Francis appoints him to the metropolitan see of Bologna and on 5 October 2019 creates him cardinal with the title of Sant'Egidio.
(Unioneonline / lf)