Giovanni Battista Morandini (30 June 1937 – 21 October 2024) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He became an archbishop in 1983 and from then until his retirement in 2008 served terms as Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda, Guatemala, Korea, Mongolia, and Syria.
Giovanni Battista Morandini | |
|---|---|
| Apostolic Nuncio emeritus of Syria Titular Archbishop of Numida | |
| Appointed | 6 March 2004 |
| Retired | 21 September 2008 |
| Predecessor | Diego Causero |
| Successor | Mario Zenari |
| Other post(s) | Titular Archbishop of Numida (1983–2024) |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 22 July 1962 |
| Consecration | 8 October 1983 by Agostino Casaroli, Bernardin Gantin, and Eugênio Sales |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 June 1937 |
| Died | 21 October 2024 (aged 87) Bienno, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Styles of Giovanni Battista Morandini | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
Early life
editGiovanni Battista Morandini was born in Bienno on 30 June 1937. He was ordained a priest on 22 July 1962 and went immediately to Rome to complete his studies.
Diplomatic career
editMorandini entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1966. His first posting was in Bolivia from 1966 to 1970, followed by stints in Belgium and Brazil. From 1979 to 1983 he worked in Rome at the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.[1] While serving in that last post he was reported to have told the family of Emanuela Orlandi, a teenager who disappeared in Rome on 22 June 1983, that the Vatican wanted to minimize publicity in the case, a remark that has fueled the family’s belief of Vatican involvement in closing the investigation into her disappearance.[2][3]
On 30 August 1983, Pope John Paul II named him titular archbishop of Numida and Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda.[1]
He received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Agostino Casaroli on 8 October 1983.[4]
John Paul appointed him Nuncio to Guatemala on 12 September 1990,[5] to both Korea and Mongolia on 23 April 1997,[6][7] and to Syria on 6 March 2004.[8]
Later life and death
editMorandini retired on 21 September 2008.[citation needed] He died in Bienno on 21 October 2024, at the age of 87.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Biografia di mons. Morandini". Chiesa di Cremona (in Italian). Retrieved 2 May 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Sakelaris, Nicholas (1 November 2018). "Bone discovery at the Vatican prompts family to demand answers". UPI. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ "Il mistero Emanuela Orlandi: 35 anni di false piste". La Presse (in Italian). 23 November 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
Pochi giorni dopo la scomparsa di Emanuela monsignor Giovanni Battista Morandini disse a mio padre che la vicenda preoccupava lo Stato, e c'era un invito a non aprire in Vaticano una falla che difficilmente si sarebbe potuta chiudere. Ecco, penso che la decisione del procuratore di Roma Giuseppe Pignatone di archiviare l'inchiesta giudiziaria è un proseguimento di quelle parole. Altrimenti non mi spiego tutto questo silenzio che dura da 35 anni.
- ^ Ordinazione Episcopale di Mons. Giovanni Battista Morandini (in Italian), Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 8 October 1983, retrieved 2 May 2019
- ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXII. 1990. p. 1921. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
- ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIX. 1997. p. 312. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ "Vatican Appoints New Apostolic Nuncio in Korea". UCA News. 29 April 1997. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 06.03.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 6 March 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^ "Bienno piange la scomparsa di monsignor Giovanni Battista Morandini". BSO. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
External links
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