Jorge María Mejía facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Jorge María Mejía |
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| Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives | |
| Appointed | 7 March 1998 |
| Reign ended | October 2003 |
| Predecessor | Luigi Poggi |
| Successor | Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of San Girolamo della Carità |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 22 September 1945 |
| Consecration | 12 April 1986 by Roger Marie Élie Etchegaray |
| Created Cardinal | 21 February 2001 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 January 1923 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | 9 December 2014 (aged 91) Rome, Italy |
| Nationality | Argentinian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | Ipse est pax nostra ("He is our peace") |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Jorge Mejía |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Jorge María Mejía (born January 31, 1923 – died December 9, 2014) was an important Argentine cardinal in the Catholic Church. He held many significant roles in the Vatican, which is the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy.
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Jorge María Mejía was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He became a priest on September 22, 1945. He loved to teach about the Sacred Scripture (which is another name for the Bible) at different universities.
He also took part in a very important meeting called the Second Vatican Council. This was a big event where Catholic leaders discussed how the Church could better serve the world. Mejía was a peritus, which means an expert advisor, at this council. He earned special degrees in theology and biblical science.
Becoming a Bishop
On March 8, 1986, Mejía was appointed as a titular bishop. This means he was given the title of a bishop for a historical area, even though he didn't lead a diocese there. He also started working for the Roman Curia, which is like the government of the Catholic Church. He worked in the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
He officially became a bishop on April 12, 1986. Later, on March 5, 1994, he was promoted to Archbishop. He also became the Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, a group that helps the Pope choose new bishops. Just five days later, he was also made Secretary of the College of Cardinals.
On March 7, 1998, he took on two very important jobs. He became the archivist and librarian of the Vatican Secret Archives. This is a special place where the Vatican keeps many important historical documents.
Becoming a Cardinal
On February 21, 2001, Pope John Paul II made Jorge María Mejía a Cardinal. Cardinals are very high-ranking officials in the Catholic Church, just below the Pope. He was given the title of Cardinal-Deacon of San Girolamo della Carità.
He retired from his roles at the Vatican Secret Archives on November 24, 2003. Later, on February 21, 2011, he chose to become a Cardinal-Priest, which is another rank within the cardinals.
Mejía was 82 years old during the 2005 papal conclave. This is when cardinals meet to elect a new Pope. Because of his age, he was not able to vote in this election.
In 2010, he led a group from the Holy See (the Vatican's government) that met with Jewish leaders. This meeting was part of an effort to improve understanding and friendship between different religions. From 2013 until he passed away, he was part of a group called the Elijah Interfaith Institute. This group works to encourage dialogue and understanding between people of different faiths.
On March 13, 2013, Mejía had a heart attack. This happened on the very same day that another Argentine cardinal, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected as the new Pope. Jorge María Mejía passed away in Rome on December 9, 2014, at the age of 91.
