Giovanni Coppa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Giovanni Coppa |
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| Cardinal-Deacon of San Lino | |
Cardinal Coppa in 2012
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 2 January 1949 |
| Consecration | 6 January 1980 by Pope John Paul II |
| Created Cardinal | 24 November 2007 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 November 1925 Alba, Italy |
| Died | 16 May 2016 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Previous post |
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| Coat of arms |  |
Giovanni Coppa (born November 9, 1925 – died May 16, 2016) was an important leader in the Roman Catholic Church. He was from Italy and became a cardinal. A cardinal is a high-ranking official who helps the Pope. Giovanni Coppa also worked as a diplomat for the Holy See, which is the government of the Catholic Church. He became a cardinal in 2007.
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Life and Church Career
Giovanni Coppa was born in Alba, Italy, on November 9, 1925. He first studied at a seminary in Alba. A seminary is a school where people train to become priests.
Education and Early Work
After the seminary, Coppa went to the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan. There, he earned a special degree called a doctorate. His main study was about how the Holy Trinity was shown in art up to the 14th century.
He became a priest on January 2, 1949. After that, he worked for a group called Catholic Action. In 1952, he started working for the Roman Curia in the Vatican. The Roman Curia is like the main government of the Catholic Church.
Working at the Vatican
In 1954, Coppa became a director for monthly retreats for nuns in Rome. A retreat is a time for prayer and quiet thinking. In 1958, he began working in the Vatican Secretariat of State. This is a very important office that helps the Pope with many tasks.
During the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), Giovanni Coppa was an expert in the Latin language. This council was a big meeting that made important changes in the Catholic Church. In 1965, he became an honorary canon of St. Peter's Basilica. He also wrote several books about important religious figures and contributed to L'Osservatore Romano, which is the Vatican's newspaper.
Becoming an Archbishop
On December 1, 1979, Giovanni Coppa was named an important representative for the Secretariat of State. He also became a titular archbishop of Serta. This means he held the title of archbishop for a place that no longer has a bishop.
He officially became a bishop on January 6, 1980. This special ceremony was held in Saint Peter's Basilica. Pope John Paul II himself led the ceremony.
Diplomatic Roles
Giovanni Coppa served as a diplomat for the Vatican in different countries. A nuncio is like an ambassador for the Pope. On June 30, 1990, he became the Apostolic Nuncio to Czechoslovakia.
After Czechoslovakia split into two countries, he became the nuncio for both the Czech Republic and Slovakia on January 1, 1993. He retired from his role in Slovakia in 1994 and from the Czech Republic in 2001.
Becoming a Cardinal
Pope Benedict XVI made Giovanni Coppa a Cardinal Deacon on November 24, 2007. This happened during a special ceremony called a consistory. He was given the title of Cardinal Deacon of S. Lino.
Giovanni Coppa passed away in Rome on May 16, 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni Coppa para niños
