Who is Giovanni Battista Re? The cardinal presiding over Pope Francis funeral

On Friday, April 26, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will preside over the funeral of Pope Francis. Re is one of the late Pope’s key advisers and the head of the cardinal electors who will help select the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Cardinal Re, who is now 91 years old, was born in Brescia, Italy. He has spent more than fifty years serving in the Roman Curia, which is the administrative part of the Vatican. In January, Re became the Dean of the College of Cardinals. This group is made up of the most senior leaders of the Catholic Church. They are responsible for choosing a new pope through a secret meeting called a papal conclave.

However, Cardinal Re will not be able to vote in the next conclave. Cardinals over the age of 80 are not allowed to vote. Even though he cannot vote, Re has a lot of experience. He took part in two earlier conclaves, including the one in 2013 that selected Pope Francis after Pope Benedict XVI stepped down.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s Journey

Cardinal Re was ordained in 1957 for the Diocese of Brescia. He later earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He began working at the Vatican in 1963. Before this, he taught in the Brescia seminary.

Re later joined the Vatican’s diplomatic service. He worked in missions in Panama and Iran. Later, he became the personal secretary to Archbishop Giovanni Benelli. His role was important in managing daily tasks at the Vatican.

For over ten years, Re served as the Substitute for General Affairs of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. This means he helped manage the Holy See’s day-to-day operations.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II made Re the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. He also became the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. These roles gave Re a lot of influence, especially in choosing bishops around the world.

In 2001, Re was made a cardinal. He took part in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI and the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

In 2020, Re was elected as the Dean of the College of Cardinals. Pope Francis extended his five-year term earlier this year.

Re’s Strong Relationship with Pope Francis

Cardinal Re is known for being kind and efficient. His biography on the College of Cardinals’ website describes him as having an “affable manner and efficient approach to issues and conflicts.”

Pope Francis once said that Re was someone who often disagreed with him but whose advice he still valued highly. This was shared in an interview reported by the Katholisch news outlet.

On April 22, Cardinal Re led a Rosary prayer for Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. He called the late Pope “a pilgrim of hope.”

Re spoke to the mourners, reminding them of Pope Francis’ frequent request, “Do not forget to pray for me.” He encouraged everyone to pray and to thank God for Pope Francis’ leadership and his service to the Church.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s long career, strong leadership, and close connection to Pope Francis make him a fitting figure to lead the funeral ceremony.