Antonio Franco
Antonio Franco (born March 24, 1937 in Puglianello , Benevento Province , Italy ) is a Vatican diplomat .
Life
Franco was ordained a priest on July 10, 1960 and then worked as a priest in the diocese of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de 'Goti .
He later entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See . Pope Paul VI bestowed on him on September 12, 1973 the title of chaplain of His Holiness ( Monsignor ). On September 14, 1985, Pope John Paul II awarded him the title of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness . On March 28, 1992, John Paul II appointed him Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine and Titular Archbishop of Gallesium . John Paul II consecrated him bishop on April 26th of the same year in St. Peter's Basilica ; Co - consecrators were Cardinal Franciszek Macharski and Cardinal Angelo Sodano .
After the death of Gian Vincenzo Moreni on April 6, 1999, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines . During this time he consecrated Cornelio Galleo Wigwigan as bishop.
On January 21, 2006, Antonio Franco became Apostolic Nuncio in Israel and Cyprus and also Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine. On August 18, 2012, Giuseppe Lazzarotto was appointed as his successor.
The Cardinal Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem Edwin Frederick O'Brien appointed Antonio Franco on February 22, 2013 as the successor to the ailing Archbishop of the Curia, Giuseppe De Andrea, in the leadership of the Order. Since December 21, 2012 he has been Commander of the Order with a star through a motu proprio of the Grand Master. On October 24, 2017, Antonio Franco was promoted to Grand Cross Knight by Cardinal Grand Master Edwin Frederick O'Brien and appointed Honorary Assessor of the Papal Laity Order. He was also awarded the Golden Palm of Jerusalem for his work .
Act
In his function as Apostolic Nuncio in Israel and Cyprus, he also represents the interests of the Roman Catholic Church in Israel and Cyprus . He is also Chancellor of Bethlehem University .
In June 2006 he unsuccessfully sought the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, kidnapped by Palestinian militants .
Web links
- Entry on Antonio Franco on catholic-hierarchy.org ; Retrieved June 19, 2013.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 1982 , Città del Vaticano 1982, p. 1776.
- ↑ Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 1987 , Città del Vaticano 1987, p. 1861.
- ↑ OESSH Newsletter March 2013 (PDF; 150 kB), Vatican, June 19, 2013
- ↑ "The Jerusalem Cross", issue 48 autumn 2017 on oessh.va , accessed on November 17, 2017
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| --- |
Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine 1992–1999 |
Nikola Eterović |
| Gian Vincenzo Moreni |
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines 1999–2006 |
Fernando Filoni |
| Pietro Sambi |
Apostolic Nuncio in Israel 2006–2012 |
Giuseppe Lazzarotto |
| Pietro Sambi |
Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine 2006–2012 |
Giuseppe Lazzarotto |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Franco, Antonio |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian clergyman, Roman Catholic bishop and Vatican diplomat |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 24, 1937 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Puglianello , Benevento Province , Italy |