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Giovanni Battista Re

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Giovanni Battista Re

Cardinal, Dean emeritus of the College of Cardinals

Collegio Cardinalizio · Brescia · Italia

Dean emeritus of the College of Cardinals, former Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and Substitute of the Secretariat of State. Cardinal since 2001.

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Biography

Giovanni Battista Re was born in Borno, in the province of Brescia, on 30 January 1934. He entered the Brescia seminary in 1945 and was ordained a priest on 3 March 1957. In Rome he studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning a degree in canon law. After attending the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, from 1963 he served in the nunciatures in Panama and Iran. In 1971 he joined the Secretariat of State as secretary to the Substitute, Giovanni Benelli; on 12 December 1979 John Paul II appointed him Assessor. On 9 October 1987 he was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and titular Archbishop of Vescovio, receiving episcopal ordination from the Pope on 7 November 1987. From 12 December 1989 to 16 September 2000 he was Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. From 16 September 2000 to 30 June 2010 he was Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Created a cardinal by John Paul II at the Consistory of 21 February 2001, he entered the Order of Bishops with the title of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals from 2017 and Dean from 18 January 2020. On 26 April 2025 he presided over the funeral of Pope Francis in St Peter's Square. On 9 October 2026 Leo XIV accepted his resignation as Dean, and he took the title of Dean emeritus.

Career timeline

  1. 30 January 1934

    Born in Borno (Brescia).

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  2. 3 March 1957

    Ordained a priest by Bishop Giacinto Tredici of Brescia.

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  3. 1 July 1963

    Assigned as attaché to the Apostolic Nunciature in Panama.

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  4. 12 December 1979

    Appointed Assessor of the Secretariat of State by John Paul II.

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  5. 9 October 1987

    Appointed Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and titular Archbishop of Vescovio.

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  6. 7 November 1987

    Ordained a bishop by John Paul II in St Peter's Basilica.

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  7. 12 December 1989

    Appointed Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

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  8. 16 September 2000

    Appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

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  9. 21 February 2001

    Created Cardinal by John Paul II.

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  10. 30 September 2002

    Title of the Suburbicarian Church of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto (Order of Bishops).

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  11. 30 June 2010

    Becomes Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Bishops.

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  12. 10 June 2017

    Pope Francis approved his election as Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals.

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  13. 18 January 2020

    Pope Francis approved his election as Dean of the College of Cardinals (title of Ostia).

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  14. 7 January 2025

    Pope Francis extended the approval of his election as Dean.

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  15. 26 April 2025

    Presided over the funeral of Pope Francis in St Peter's Square.

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  16. 7 May 2025

    Celebrated the Mass pro eligendo Romano Pontifice before the conclave.

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  17. 9 October 2026

    Leo XIV accepted his resignation as Dean; he took the title of Dean emeritus.

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