Giacomo Biffi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Giacomo Biffi |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop of Bologna | |
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| Archdiocese | Bologna |
| See | Bologna |
| Enthroned | 19 April 1984 |
| Reign ended | 16 December 2003 |
| Predecessor | Enrico Manfredini |
| Successor | Carlo Caffarra |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Santi Giovanni Evangelista e Petronio |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 23 December 1950 |
| Consecration | 11 January 1976 by Giovanni Colombo |
| Created Cardinal | 25 May 1985 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Giacomo Biffi |
| Born | 13 June 1928 Milan, Italy |
| Died | 11 July 2015 (aged 87) Bologna, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | Ubi Fides Ibi Libertas |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Giacomo Biffi |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Bologna (Emeritus) |
Giacomo Biffi (born June 13, 1928 – died July 11, 2015) was an important Italian Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Archbishop of Bologna from 1984 to 2003. A Cardinal is a very high-ranking official in the Catholic Church, chosen by the Pope.
Contents
Biography
Giacomo Biffi was born in Milan, Italy. He studied to become a priest at the seminaries of the Archdiocese of Milan. On December 23, 1950, he was ordained as a priest by Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster.
From 1951 to 1960, Biffi taught dogmatic theology, which is the study of religious beliefs. He also wrote many books about theology, catechism (religious instruction), and meditation. In 1955, he earned a doctorate degree in theology.
Pastoral Work and Leadership
From 1960 to 1975, Biffi worked as a parish priest in different churches in the Archdiocese of Milan. He was a parish priest in Legnano from 1960 to 1969, and then in Milan from 1969 to 1975.
In 1974, he became an Episcopal Vicar for Culture. This meant he helped oversee cultural matters for the church. He also became a canon theologian in Milan in 1975.
Becoming a Bishop and Cardinal
On December 7, 1975, Pope Paul VI appointed Biffi as an Auxiliary Bishop of Milan. He became a bishop on January 11, 1976. As a bishop, he served on important committees for the Italian Episcopal Conference, dealing with topics like doctrine, religious teaching, culture, and worship.
On April 19, 1984, Biffi was named the Archbishop of Bologna. He officially began his role on June 1 of that year. He was also chosen to lead the Episcopal Conference of Emilia-Romagna, a region in Italy.
Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal-Priest on May 25, 1985. This is a very high honor in the Catholic Church. In 1989, Cardinal Biffi led spiritual exercises for the Pope and other church leaders during Lent. He retired from his role as Archbishop of Bologna in December 2003.
Papal Conclave
In 2005, Cardinal Biffi was one of the cardinals who voted in the papal conclave. This was the special meeting where cardinals chose the next Pope. In this conclave, Pope Benedict XVI was chosen.
Cardinal Biffi turned 80 years old in 2008. After this age, cardinals are no longer able to vote in future papal conclaves. He passed away on July 11, 2015.
Views and Writings
Cardinal Biffi was known for his strong and traditional views on faith and society. He believed it was important to keep Catholic teachings clear and strong. He worried about ideas that he felt might weaken the core beliefs of the Church.
He also held conservative views on various social topics. He believed that the Italian government should support Catholic immigrants to help protect Italy's "national identity" and cultural heritage.
In 2007, Cardinal Biffi shared many of his thoughts and opinions in a book called Memorie e digressioni di un italiano cardinale. This title means "Memoirs and digressions of an Italian cardinal."
See also
In Spanish: Giacomo Biffi para niños
