Achille Silvestrini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Achille Silvestrini |
|
|---|---|
| Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches |
|
Silvestrini in November 2006
|
|
| See | Novaliciana (titular) |
| Appointed | 24 May 1991 |
| Reign ended | 7 September 2000 |
| Predecessor | Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy |
| Successor | Ignatius Moses I Daoud |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of San Benedetto fuori Porta San Paolo (1999–2019) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 13 July 1946 |
| Consecration | 27 May 1979 by Pope John Paul II |
| Created Cardinal | 28 June 1988 |
| Rank | Cardinal priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Achille Silvestrini |
| Born | 25 October 1923 Brisighella, Italy |
| Died | 29 August 2019 (aged 95) Vatican City |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
|
| Alma mater | University of Bologna Pontifical Lateran University |
| Motto | Crux fidelis arbor una nobilis ('Faithful cross, one and only noble tree') |
| Styles of Achille Silvestrini |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Achille Silvestrini (born October 25, 1923 – died August 29, 2019) was an important cardinal from Italy. He worked for the Catholic Church in many roles. From 1953 to 1990, he was part of the Vatican's diplomatic team. Later, from 1991 to 2000, he led the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. This group helps Eastern Catholic Churches.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Achille Silvestrini was born in Brisighella, Italy. He studied in Rome and became a priest on July 13, 1946. This happened in the cathedral of Faenza. Bishop Giuseppe Battaglia led the ceremony.
Silvestrini continued his studies. He earned a special degree from the University of Bologna in 1948. He also got a degree in church law (called canon law) from the Pontifical Lateran University.
In 1952, he started training at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. The next year, he joined the Vatican's diplomatic service. This meant he helped the Pope and the Vatican talk to other countries. He worked in places like Vietnam, China, and Indonesia.
He also worked closely with important cardinals. He helped with international groups, peace efforts, and human rights. In 1971, he went to Moscow. There, he helped the Holy See join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This treaty aims to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
He also led Vatican teams at United Nations meetings. These meetings were about using nuclear energy peacefully. He was appointed to a leadership role in the Council for the Public Affairs of the Church in 1973.
Becoming a Bishop and Diplomat
On May 4, 1979, Silvestrini became the Secretary for Relations with States. This is a high-level job in the Vatican's main office. He was also given the title of archbishop. On May 27, 1979, Pope John Paul II made him a bishop.
For the next five years, he worked on updating an important agreement. This was the Lateran Treaty between the Vatican and Italy. He signed a new version of the treaty. This new treaty showed how Italy had changed over the years.
He also helped with other agreements between the Vatican and different countries. He was involved in talks during conflicts, like the one in the Falklands War and in Nicaragua.
Becoming a Cardinal
On June 28, 1988, Achille Silvestrini became a cardinal-deacon. A cardinal is a very high-ranking official in the Catholic Church.
On May 24, 1991, he was chosen to lead the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. This group supports the Eastern Catholic Churches. He also became the Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. This is a special university. He retired from these roles in November 2000.
In 1993, he visited famous film director Federico Fellini before he passed away. Cardinal Silvestrini also led Fellini's funeral Mass.
In 2001, cardinals talked about the Synod of Bishops. Silvestrini felt that these meetings needed more open discussion. He said they were "monologues without debate or response."
He was present when Pope John Paul II passed away. Before the cardinals met to choose the next Pope, Silvestrini spoke about what the new Pope should do. He thought the new Pope needed to improve the connection between the Pope and bishops around the world. He said bishops felt "a little far from what is happening in Rome." He suggested creating a group of bishops to help with this.
In 2010, he shared his thoughts on Pope Pius XII during World War II. Silvestrini had worked with Pius XII after the war. He explained that Pius XII was worried about keeping Rome safe during the war. He believed that protesting too much might have made things worse. Instead, he worked to hide many Jewish people in churches and Catholic buildings.
After Pope Francis was chosen in 2013, Silvestrini said the Church needed to keep working on the ideas from the Second Vatican Council. He called this an "unfinished task." He believed the Church needed new ways to talk to people today, especially young people.
He also led a group called the Collegio universitario Fondazione Comunità Domenico Tardini. This group was started in 1946 to help children who lost their parents in the war.
Papal Elections
In the 1990s, some people thought Silvestrini might become the next Pope. However, he was getting older, which made it less likely.
Silvestrini was part of a group of cardinals and bishops. They met every year from 1995 to 2006 in Switzerland. They talked about ways to improve the Church. They had different ideas but generally did not want Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to be the next Pope. Ratzinger later became Pope Benedict XVI.
After he turned 80 in 2003, Silvestrini could no longer vote for a new Pope. He disagreed with this rule. He called it "one of the unhappy reforms." Even though he couldn't vote in the 2005 election, he strongly opposed Ratzinger's election.
Death
Achille Silvestrini passed away at his home in Vatican City on August 29, 2019. He was 95 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Achille Silvestrini para niños
