Fernando Filoni

His Eminence Fernando Filoni
Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
Delivery of the honorary citizenship of the town of Galatone to Archbishop Fernando Filoni (2007)
See	Volturnum (titular see)
Appointed	10 May 2011
Predecessor	Ivan Dias
Other posts	President of the Interdicasterial Commission for Consecrated Religious Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urbaniana University Cardinal-Bishop of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio
Orders
Ordination	3 July 1979 by Antonio Rosario Mennonna
Consecration	19 March 2001 by John Paul II assisted by Angelo Sodano and Giovanni Battista Re
Created cardinal	18 February 2012 by Benedict XVI
Rank	Cardinal-Bishop
Personal details
Birth name	Fernando Filoni
Born	(1946-04-15) 15 April 1946 Manduria, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq (2001–2006) Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan (2001–2006) Apostolic Nuncio to Philippines (2006–2007) Substitute of the Secretariat of State (2007–2011)
Alma mater	Pontifical Lateran University
Motto	Lumen Gentium Christus (Christ, Light of the nations)
Coat of arms

Styles of Fernando Filoni
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal

Fernando Filoni (born 15 April 1946) is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church and Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in the Roman Curia since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 10 May 2011. Cardinal Filoni is an expert in Chinese affairs and on the Middle East.

Education and early diplomatic work

Filoni was born in Manduria near Taranto, Italy. He entered the seminary and earned doctorates in Philosophy and in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University. He was ordained a priest on 3 July 1970. He served in the Nunciatures of Sri Lanka from 1981 until 1983, Iran from 1983–1985, Brazil from 1989–1992 and the Philippines from 1992 until 2000. Although formally assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines, he was based in Hong Kong. During this time Archbishop Filoni was Pope John Paul II’s bridge to China's bishops, official and non-official Churches and bishops, in the hope of reconciling them to the Holy See.^[1]

Apostolic Nuncio

Pope John Paul II appointed Filoni apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan on 17 January 2001, naming him titular Archbishop of Volturnum. He received episcopal consecration from Pope John Paul II on 19 March 2001. He chose as his episcopal motto Lumen Gentium Christus.^[2]

Archbishop Filoni defended the freedom of the Catholic Church in Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein and – in line with the Pope's position – opposed the US invasion of the country in 2003.^[3] He remained in Baghdad as American bombs fell,^[4] which he called "nothing exceptional".^[5] When Mario Vargas Llosa visited him in Baghdad in 2003, he described Filoni as "small, astute, tough as nails, talkative and an expert on emergencies", who described sadly how, just as predicted, it was "incredibly difficult to administer the peace".^[6] After the fall of Saddam he recognized the new-found freedom enjoyed by the people, but he warned against the lack of security and the slow development of the economy. He supported the new constitution and the peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims.

He came close to being killed in Baghdad on 1 February 2006, when a car bomb exploded next to the nunciature.^[7] He served in Iraq and Jordan until 25 February 2006 when he returned to the Philippines as the Nuncio.

Roman Curia

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Filoni Substitute for General Affairs on 9 June 2007, effective 1 July.^[3]

It was Filoni's job to organise the activities of the Curia and the care of official translations of papal documents and correspondence; encryption dispatches messengers to be sent to the Registry of the papal letters, the resolution of legal issues, personnel management in the Curia and nunciatures (promotions and advances), the protocol and etiquette for visiting heads of state, information and media management Vatican archive management to shipping the blessings of the Pope. He is also responsible for organizing the activities of nuncios around the world in their activities concerning the local churches. As well as speaking his native Italian, he also speaks English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Commenting on his appointment he said: "It is an act of paternal benevolence on the part of the Pontiff, to which I respond without the slightest trepidation, but with the same willingness and profound gratitude I have had in the past. The wonderful words of Our Lord aid me at this time, those found in Luke (17, 10), on the attitude of those called into the Christ's service: ‘When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do'."^[3]

In 2008, Archbishop Filoni was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.^[8]

On 10 May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Filoni Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in succession to Ivan Cardinal Dias, who had reached retirement age and had health problems.^[9]

The Holy See announced on 6 January 2012 that he would be created a cardinal on 18 February. He was created Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio. On 24 April 2012 Filoni was made a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and the Congregation for Catholic Education.^[10] On 24 November 2012 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.^[11] Cardinal Filoni took part in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, and was considered to be a papabile, or possible candidate to be elected pope.^[7]

On 8 August 2014, in light of the worsening situation for the Christian minority in Iraq, caused by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) actions, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Filoni his Personal Envoy to the Iraqi people.^[12][13] Based on his work with the peoples of that region, Filoni wrote The Church in Iraq. ^[14]

Pope Francis raised him to the rank of Cardinal Bishop effective 28 June 2018.^[15]

References

External links

• "Filoni Card. Fernando". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2017.