To His Eminence
GIOVANNI BATTISTA RE
Dean Emeritus of the College of Cardinals
 

Venerable and dear Brother,

Having accepted your resignation from the office of Dean of the College of Cardinals, a role you have fulfilled with great distinction for more than six years, I wish to express my gratitude for the service rendered by Your Eminence, which has been, for me and for everyone, an edifying testimony of love for the Church and for the Pope.

Called to the service of the Holy See whilst still a young priest, you became, through your numerous and sensitive positions within the Roman Curia, a trusted collaborator of the Supreme Pontiffs, in particular of Saint John Paul II, who appointed you first as Assessor of the Secretariat of State, then as Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, and subsequently as Substitute of the Secretariat of State.

Beside the Pope during the Great Jubilee of 2000, you effectively directed and co-ordinated the many offices placed at the disposal of his magisterium and his pastoral mission, accompanying him on a memorable series of apostolic journeys throughout Italy and around the world. At the beginning of the new millennium, the Holy Father appointed you head of the Congregation for Bishops and created you a Cardinal.

This long journey has enabled you to acquire an extraordinary knowledge of the universal Church, enriched by a wealth of personal relationships. I do not think I am mistaken in saying that you, Your Eminence, have been and remain one of the Holy See’s best-known and most highly esteemed servants. Your open, cordial and frank manner, together with your ability to tackle situations and problems with wisdom and practicality—always remaining faithful to the teachings of the Church and with great love for the Successor of Peter—have contributed greatly to this.

In your role as Dean of the College of Cardinals, your presence has been even more prominent, and many – among the People of God and beyond – have appreciated your priestly witness during the Eucharistic celebrations you presided over, most recently at the funeral of Pope Francis.

Dear and venerable Brother, we have all always admired in you the vigour of your faith and zeal in ministry, combined so well with the hard-working qualities drawn from your family roots and the beloved Val Camonica. But the motto you chose upon your election to the episcopate, “Virtus ex alto”, bears witness to how you have always known how to invoke and receive strength from the Lord and His Grace, and this deepens the esteem and gratitude felt by all who know you.

With these sentiments, I assure you of my remembrance in prayer, which I entrust to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, and I wholeheartedly renew my blessing upon you, gladly extending it to your family members and loved ones.

From the Vatican, 11 October 2026

LEO PP. XIV

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 12 October 2026