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College of Cardinals

Biographical notes

[Updated: 22.02.2014]

 


Notice: the biographical notes are only a working instrument for the press.


 

CAPOVILLA Card. Loris Francesco

 

Cardinal Loris Francesco Capovilla, former prelate of Loreto and pontifical delegate for the Shrine of Loreto (Italy), was born on 14 October, 1915 in Pontelongo in the province of Padua. The family later moved to Mestre.

A student of the patriarchal seminary of Venice, he was ordained a priest on 23 May 1940. He fulfilled various roles in parishes and in the Curia, in schools and in Catholic Action, and also in Onarmo of Porto Marghera, in juvenile detention centres and hospitals. In 1949 the Patriarch Carlo Agostini nominated him as director of the diocesan weekly "The voice of St. Marco" and editor of the Venetian page of "L’avvenire d’Italia". He has been a registered journalist since 1950.

For over a decade, first in Venice and then in the Vatican, he served as special secretary to Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, Pope John XXIII from 28 October 1958 to 3 June 1963. From 1963 to 1967 he served as a Conciliar expert advisor.

On 26 June 1967 he was appointed by Pope Paul VI as archbishop of Chieti-Vasto, receiving episcopal consecration on 16 July of the same year.

On 25 September 1971, he was appointed as papal delegate to the Shrine of Loreto in the Marche region, and Pope Montini conferred to him the title of archbishop of Mesembria (in Bulgaria) in memory of Pope John XXIII, which he held from 1934 to 1953.

He continued to serve as papal delegate in Loreto until 10 December 1988 when he made the decision to withdraw. He resided for a short period in Arre, in the province of Padua, and then in Pope Roncalli’s hometown, Sotto il Monte. Here he remains a faithful guardian of the spiritual and historical memory of Blessed Pope John XXIII.

He has produced extensive his texts and publications dedicated to the Bergamo pope, and has spoken at many conferences. As honorary canon of Venice and Bergamo, he has overseen the publication of much of Pope Roncalli’s work, including "The Journal of the Soul", "Letters to family members", "Letters, 1958-63", and the trilogy composed of "This is the mystery of my life", "John XXIII, a saint of my parish" and "I will call myself John".

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 22 February 2014, of the Title of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

[Source: from the Eco di Bergamo online]

 
 

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