The Vatican’s Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin attends a plenary session on the Summit on peace in Ukraine, on the luxurious Burgenstock resort, close to Lucerne, on June 16, 2024. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse
VATICAN CITY — A seasoned diplomat who labored with Pope Francis for 12 years, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is well-known in Rome and overseas, and a critical contender to be the following pontiff.
The 70-year-old Italian was secretary of state — the Vatican’s efficient quantity two — for nearly the whole Francis hold forth, and its most seen exponent on the world stage.
Together with his air of calm and refined humorousness, Parolin is the consummate diplomat, a polyglot with expertise in Asia, the Center East and Latin America.
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He performed a key position in mediating a thaw between america and Cuba, in addition to making a key Vatican settlement with China on naming bishops.
Parolin is the favourite to switch Francis, who died on April 21, when the conclave of cardinals begins assembly on Could 7.
He’s well-known to world leaders and diplomats. Crucially, he additionally has a advantageous grasp of the intricacies the Roman Curia, the Holy See’s central authorities, and was a part of a bunch of cardinal advisors to Francis.
His position, and his average positions on many social points, would counsel continuity with Francis if he have been to develop into pope. On the identical time, sources say he can reconcile the Church’s totally different factions.
“He’s the most effective recognized cardinal of all of them. However the query is whether or not his profile will assist create a consensus round him. It may additionally work in opposition to him,” an ecclesiastical supply in Rome instructed AFP, talking anonymously.
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The supply famous that Parolin “has by no means had pastoral tasks and has taken few positions on societal points”.
“He has remained in a really institutional position. It’s troublesome to know what he thinks, which may very well be a weak level.”
From Vietnam to China
Fluent in French, English, and Spanish, Parolin is approachable however cautious in public, avoiding any statements that may very well be misinterpreted — not like the usually outspoken Francis.
He often discovered himself searching for to clean feathers after an outburst by the late pontiff, notably on the Ukraine warfare, when Francis alternatively offended Ukraine and Russia.
The Argentine pope appointed Parolin shortly after being elected in March 2013, and made him a cardinal in 2014.
Parolin was concerned within the Vatican mediation that led to the 2014 resumption of diplomatic relations between america and Cuba.
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He was additionally integral to the signing of a 2018 settlement between the Holy See and China on naming bishops, which has since been renewed.
The accord gave each side a say on appointments and has been an important step in enhancing relations between the 2.
Nonetheless, the deal has been criticized by some conservatives, notably People, who accused Parolin of sacrificing Chinese language Catholics compelled into an underground Church.
Parolin advocates for the same accord with Vietnam.
A lifetime of religion
Parolin was born on January 17, 1955, right into a deeply Catholic household close to Venice in northern Italy. His father managed a ironmongery shop and his mom was a instructor.
His childhood was marked by the tragic lack of his father in a automobile accident when he was 10, and his vocation got here quickly afterwards.
Parolin entered the seminary at 14, was ordained a priest at 25 after which went to Rome to check canon legislation. He additionally skilled as a diplomat, joined the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 1986 and has spent the final 4 many years criss-crossing the globe.
His missions took him to Nigeria till 1989, then to Mexico (1989-1992), war-ravaged Rwanda after which to Venezuela from 2009 to 2013.
Regardless of his reticence to touch upon many societal points, Parolin has declared that priestly celibacy isn’t a dogma, and in 2023 described as “indefensible” the try to hyperlink sexual abuse within the Church with homosexuality.
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He additionally described celibacy as a “reward from God to the Church”, has denounced abortion and surrogacy as critical violations of human dignity. Parolin has criticized the concept gender can differ from intercourse.