Archpriest of St. Peters basillica
Mauro Gambetti OFMConv (born 27 October 1965) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was appointed archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica, Vicar General for the Vatican State, and president of the Fabric of Saint Peter on 20 February 2021. He was consecrated a bishop on 22 November 2020 just before Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal on 28 November 2020.
A member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual since 1992, he held senior leadership positions in the order beginning in 2009 and served as General Custos of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis in Assisi from 2013 to 2020.
Biography
Mauro Gambetti was born in Castel San Pietro Terme, Italy, on 27 October 1965. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Bologna. He joined Order of Friars Minor Conventals in September 1992 and took his final vows on 20 September 1998.[1]
He obtained a bachelor's degree in theology at the Theological Institute of Assisi and a licentiate in theological anthropology at the Theological Faculty of Central Italy in Florence. He was ordained a priest on 8 January 2000 in Longiano. He was animator of youth and vocation ministry for Emilia-Romagna there and, from 2005 to 2009, also leader and animator of the religious community.[1]
In the spring of 2009 the members of the Bologna Province, who have responsibility for the convents of the Friars Minor Conventual of Emilia-Romagna, elected him to a four-year term as their superior. He held that position until 22 February 2013 when the leadership of the order appointed him to head the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of San Francesco in Assisi for a four-year term from 2013 to 2017, with the title General Custos. At the same time, the Bishop of Assisi appointed him Episcopal Vicar for the pastoral care of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi and other places of worship run by the Friars Minor Conventual in that diocese.[1] He was confirmed for another term as Custos General in 2017.[2]
From 2009 to 2013 he also served as president of the Italian Conference of Major Superiors (CISM) for Emilia Romagna and vice-president of the Intermediterranean Conference of Provincial Ministers (CIMP). Since 2010 he has been regional assistant of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) for Emilia-Romagna.[3] He was elected President of the Intermediterranean Federation of Provincial Ministers of the Friars Minor Conventual in September 2017.[1]
On 25 October 2020, Pope Francis announced he would raise him to the rank of cardinal at a consistory scheduled for 28 November 2020.[4] Gambetti is the first Conventual Franciscan to be made a cardinal since 1861.[5] His term as General Custos was due to expire in 2021[6] but he was instead succeeded in that position on 12 November by Father Marco Moroni.[7] As cardinals are required to be bishops, he was consecrated a bishop on 22 November in the Basilica of Assisi by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, becoming titular archbishop of Thisiduo.[8][9] At that consistory, Pope France made him cardinal deacon of Santissimo Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano.[10] Gambetti became the third youngest member of the College of Cardinals.[11] On 16 December he was named a member of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.[12]
On 20 February 2021, Pope Francis appointed him archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica, Vicar General for the Vatican State, and president of the Fabric of Saint Peter.[13] On 12 March 2021, the Vatican Secretariat of State ended the private celebration of Mass at the basilica's side altars and restricted the use of the Traditional Latin Mass to Clementine Chapel in the crypt of the basilica.[14]
In December 2021, Pope Francis named Gambetti chair of the newly created Fratelli tutti Vatican Foundation, formed to extend the work of the Fabric of Saint Peter, created at Gambetti's suggestion.[15]
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