Papabile (pope tip) Fernando Filoni,
79 years old, from Galatone (Lecce) in Puglia, is an expert
diplomat.
A cardinal since 2012, he is the grand master of the Equestrian
Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
But his long ecclesiastical career took place entirely in
Vatican diplomacy, under Popes John Paul II, Benedict and
Francis.
A graduate in Philosophy, Canon Law and Communications, he has
been in Sri Lanka, Iran, Brazil, the Philippines, Hong Kong (to
follow the evolution of post-Mao China), then in Jordan and
Iraq. He was substitute at the Secretariat of State, then
prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples,
better known as Propaganda Fide.
It is the Vatican department that deals with missions: its head
is called "the red pope" for his influence.
Filoni was in Iraq when the second Gulf War broke out in 2003,
and was the only Western diplomat to remain in Baghdad during
the bombings.
"When the roar of bombs and missiles reached the nunciature," he
said, "I said: calm down, as long as we hear them it means we
are alive."
The pectoral cross that Filoni wears was given to him by the
local Islamic community, because he had not left their city: "A
Muslim made it with his own hands," he explained.
In 2011, Pope Benedict called him to Rome to Propaganda Fide,
and the following year he made him a cardinal.
In 2013, he participated in his first conclave. In 2014, Francis
sent him back to Iraq: ISIS was advancing, and there was a need
for a pastor who could protect Christians. Filoni returned to
the Arab country in 2021, accompanying Pope Francis on the first
trip of a pontiff to the land of Abraham.
In 2019, he was appointed grand master of the Equestrian Order
of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The Order is responsible for
charitable and cultural works in the Holy Land.
On the conclave, he told Corriere della Sera: "The calculations
are there and must be there. It is not a spiritual retreat. The
first two ballots are for orientation, then we begin to draw
conclusions. When we vote we do not speak, but afterwards we eat
together, we live together, we discuss. It will take two, three,
four days, we will see. But the fact is, believe me, that the
calculations are not enough. In a vision of faith, the mystery
of Grace remains. Why does Jesus choose Peter? And who will ever
be able to answer?"
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