Anastasio Ballestrero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Servant of God Anastasio Ballestrero OCD |
|
|---|---|
| Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Turin | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Turin |
| See | Turin |
| Appointed | 1 August 1977 |
| Enthroned | 25 September 1977 |
| Reign ended | 31 January 1989 |
| Predecessor | Michele Pellegrino |
| Successor | Giovanni Saldarini |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1979-98) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 6 June 1936 |
| Consecration | 2 February 1974 by Sebastiano Baggio |
| Created Cardinal | 30 June 1979 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Anastasio Alberto Ballestrero |
| Born | 3 October 1913 Genoa, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 21 June 1998 (aged 84) Bocca di Magra, Ameglia, Italy |
| Previous post |
|
| Motto | In omnia bonitate et veritate ("In all goodness and truth") |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Anastasio Ballestrero OCD |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Turin |
Anastasio Alberto Ballestrero (born October 3, 1913 – died June 21, 1998) was an Italian cardinal and a member of the Discalced Carmelites. His religious name was Anastasio del Santissimo Rosario. He served as the Archbishop of Turin from 1977 until he retired in 1989.
Cardinal Ballestrero became a cardinal in 1979. He was an important leader in the Italian Church. He also led the Italian Episcopal Conference for several years. He was known for being careful about the Shroud of Turin. He allowed scientific tests on the Shroud. These tests showed it was from the Middle Ages.
After his death, a process began to recognize him as a saint. He is now called a Servant of God.
Contents
Life of Anastasio Ballestrero
Early Life and School
Alberto Ballestrero was born in Genoa, Italy, on October 3, 1913. He was the first of five children. His father worked at the port in Genoa. His mother taught her children about their faith. Sadly, two of his siblings died when they were very young. His mother passed away in 1923.
Alberto went to school in Genoa from 1919 to 1922. He then joined Collegio Belimbau in 1922. He received his confirmation in May 1923. He also made his First Communion in June that year. In 1923, he left Collegio Belimbau. He decided to study to become a priest.
Becoming a Priest
In October 1924, Alberto began his studies with the Discalced Carmelites in Varazze. He joined this religious order. He took on the religious name Anastasio del Santissimo Rosario in October 1928. He made his first promises to the order in October 1929.
He moved to the Santa Anna convent in Genoa in 1932. There, he studied philosophy and theology. He became very ill in 1932 but recovered. He made his final promises to the order in October 1934.
He became a deacon in 1935. He was ordained as a priest in the San Lorenzo Cathedral on June 6, 1936. He was younger than the usual age, so he needed special permission. After becoming a priest, he taught philosophy in Genoa. He also helped people in a hospital. He later studied more in Paris.
From 1945 to 1948, he was the leader (prior) of the Santa Anna convent. He was also chosen to lead the Carmelite order in the Liguria region in 1948. He was elected as the worldwide leader (general provost) of the Discalced Carmelites twice. He held this role from 1955 to 1967. During this time, he visited almost all Carmelite convents and monasteries around the world. He also led the Union of Superior Generals.
He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. This was a very important meeting for the Catholic Church. He became good friends with other important church leaders there.
Becoming a Bishop and Cardinal
On December 21, 1973, he was chosen to be the Archbishop of Bari. He became a bishop in Rome on February 2, 1974. Cardinal Sebastiano Baggio led the ceremony.
Pope Paul VI then named him the Archbishop of Turin on August 1, 1977. He officially started this role on September 25. He was chosen as the Vice-President of the Italian Episcopal Conference in 1978. He then became its President from 1979 to 1985. In 1975, he was invited by Pope Paul VI to lead spiritual exercises for the Pope and other church leaders.
Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal on June 30, 1979. He was given the title of Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Cardinal Ballestrero retired as Archbishop of Turin on January 31, 1989. He moved to a convent in La Spezia. He continued to lead spiritual retreats. After he turned 80 in 1993, he could no longer vote for a new pope.
He attended many important church meetings called by the Pope. He was also a special representative for the Pope. He was known as a great theologian. He wrote several books about meditation and the teachings of John of the Cross.
He was known for his modern views. He sometimes disagreed with certain popular Catholic groups. When Pope John Paul II questioned him about this, he famously replied, "Holiness, when you get to know them better, you won't like them either!"
His Passing
Cardinal Ballestrero passed away on June 21, 1998, at his home in La Spezia. He had been ill for a long time. His funeral was held on June 25. He is buried in the San Giuseppe del Deserto church in Varazze. This is the same Carmelite convent he joined in 1924.
Becoming a Saint
The bishops in the Piedmont region of Italy decided to start a process to make Cardinal Ballestrero a saint. This announcement was made on February 4, 2014. The official investigation began on October 9, 2014, in Turin. So far, over 30 people have shared their stories about him. More stories are being collected from Bari.
The person in charge of this process is a Carmelite priest named Romano Gambalunga.
The Shroud of Turin
In 1978, Cardinal Ballestrero put the Shroud of Turin on display. It was the first time in 40 years that people could see it. The future Pope John Paul II visited the Shroud during this display. He came just six weeks before he became Pope. Cardinal Ballestrero later hosted Pope John Paul II in Turin in 1980. The Pope came to honor the Shroud.
Cardinal Ballestrero agreed to allow scientific tests on the Shroud of Turin in October 1978. However, he did not allow radiocarbon dating at first. This test needed samples to be cut from the Shroud. Later, technology improved, and smaller samples could be used. In April 1988, the Cardinal allowed small samples to be taken. He watched closely to make sure it was done properly. These samples were sent to three labs in Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
After the radiocarbon dating tests, Cardinal Ballestrero announced the results on October 13, 1988. The tests showed that the Shroud was from the Middle Ages. This meant it was not the actual burial cloth of Christ. He said the tests were 95% accurate. However, some people later questioned these test results.
In November 1983, the Pope named Cardinal Ballestrero as the first official guardian of the Shroud.
Images for kids
-
Coat of arms of Anastasio Alberto Ballestrero
