{{Short description|Italian prelate (born 1943)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | image = Angelo Comastri (cropped).JPG | honorific_prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Angelo Comastri | honorific_suffix = | title = [[St. Peter's Basilica|Archpriest Emeritus of Saint Peter's Basilica]] | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Angelo Comastri.svg | caption = | church = [[Catholic Church]] | archdiocese = | appointed = 31 October 2006 | term_end = 20 February 2021 | enthroned = | predecessor = [[Francesco Marchisano]] | successor = [[Mauro Gambetti]], O.F.M. Conv. | other_post = {{unbulleted list|[[San Salvatore in Lauro|Cardinal-Priest of San Salvatore in Lauro]] (2007–)}} | ordination = 11 March 1967 | ordained_by = [[Luigi Boccadoro]] | consecration = 12 September 1990 | consecrated_by = [[Bernardin Gantin]] | cardinal = 24 November 2007 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Benedict XVI]] | rank = Cardinal-Deacon (2007–18)<br>Cardinal-Priest (from 2018) | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Massa Marittima-Piombino|Bishop of Massa Marittima-Piombino]] (1990–1994)|[[Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Loreto|Archbishop-Prelate of Loreto]] (1996–2005)|Coadjutor Archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica (2005–2006)|Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica (2005–2021)|[[Vicar General for the Vatican City State]] (2005–21)|[[Fabric of Saint Peter|President of the Fabric of Saint Peter]] (2005–21)}} <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|09|17|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Sorano]], [[Tuscany]], [[Italy]] | denomination = Catholic | motto = ''Deus Charitas Est'' }} '''Angelo Comastri''' (born 17 September 1943) is an Italian prelate of the [[Catholic Church]]. He was [[Archpriest]] of [[St. Peter's Basilica]] from 2006 to 2021, and [[Vicar General for the Vatican City State]] and President of the [[Fabric of Saint Peter]] from 2005 to 2021. He previously served as Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Massa Marittima-Piombino|Massa Marittima-Piombino]] (1990–1994) and [[Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Loreto|Territorial Prelate of Loreto]] (1996–2005). He was named a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] in 2007.
==Biography== Comastri was born in [[Sorano]], in the province of [[Province of Grosseto|Grosseto]]<ref name=notes>{{cite web|title=Comastri Card. Angelo| url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_comastri_a_en.html |website=College of Cardinals Biographical Notes, 13 June 2008|publisher=Press Office of the Holy See|access-date=27 July 2017}}</ref> to Fernando and Beneria (née Scossa) Comastri. He received his early education at schools in his native town and attended the seminary of [[Pitigliano]] and the Regional Seminary S. Maria della Quercia in [[Viterbo]]. He continued his studies at the [[Pontifical Lateran University]] where he earned a [[Licentiate of Sacred Theology]] and at the [[Pontifical Roman Seminary]]. On 11 March 1967, he was [[Holy Orders|ordained]] to the priesthood by Bishop Luigi Boccadoro.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
Comastri served as vice-rector of the [[minor seminary]] of Pitigliano and, at the same time, did pastoral work in the parish of San Quirico'. He was later assigned to the [[Roman Curia]] as an official of the [[Congregation for Bishops]]. He served as [[Spiritual direction|spiritual director]] of the Pontifical Minor Roman Seminary and a chaplain at Roman jails before returning to Pitigliano, where he became rector of the seminary in 1971. In 1979, he was named pastor of the parish of San Stefano Protomartire in [[Porto Santo Stefano]]. He was also a member of the diocesan college of consultors, and served as episcopal delegate for the seminarians residing outside of the diocese and professor of religion at the Professional Institute for Maritime Activities in Porto Santo Stefano.
On 25 July 1990, Comastri was appointed Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Massa Marittima-Piombino|Massa Marittima-Piombino]] by [[Pope John Paul II]].<ref>{{cite book | title= Acta Apostolicae Sedis | page= 926 | date = 1990 | volume = LXXXII |access-date = 1 July 2020 | url = http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-82-1990-ocr.pdf }}</ref> He received his [[Bishop (Catholicism)|episcopal]] [[consecration]] on 12 September from Cardinal [[Bernardin Gantin]], with Archbishop [[Gaetano Bonicelli]] and Bishop [[Eugenio Binini]] serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]], in the parish church San Stefano Protomartire. He resigned as bishop for health reasons on 3 March 1994.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite web| access-date = 3 December 2017| title= Comastri Card. Angelo |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_comastri_a.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904070729/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_comastri_a.html}}</ref> Following his recovery, he was named president of the National Italian Committee for the [[Great Jubilee|Jubilee of the Year 2000]] and placed in charge of the National Center for Vocations of the [[Conferenza Episcopale Italiana|Italian Episcopal Conference]].
Comastri was named [[Territorial Prelate]] of the [[Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Loreto|Territorial Prelature of Loreto]], with the personal title of [[archbishop]], on 9 November 1996.<ref>{{cite book | title= Acta Apostolicae Sedis | page= 972 | date = 1996 | volume = LXXXVIII | url = http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-88-1996-ocr.pdf | access-date = 1 July 2020 }}</ref> On 5 February 2005, he was appointed President of the [[Fabric of Saint Peter]], [[Vicar General for Vatican City|Vicar General of His Holiness for the State of Vatican City]], and Coadjutor Archpriest of [[St. Peter's Basilica]].<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 30 June 2020 | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/02/05/0072/00181.html | date= 5 February 2005 | language = it |title= Rinunce e Nomine, 05.02.2005 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref> He preached the [[Lent]]en spiritual exercises for Pope John Paul II and the Roman Curia in 2003 and the meditations for the [[Stations of the Cross]] in the [[Colosseum]] on Good Friday 2006.<ref>{{cite news | work = Zenit | access-date = 27 July 2017 | date = 6 April 2006 | title = Way of the Cross to Focus on Loss of Sense of Sin | url = https://zenit.org/articles/way-of-the-cross-to-focus-on-loss-of-sense-of-sin/ | archive-date = 14 May 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180514141840/https://zenit.org/articles/way-of-the-cross-to-focus-on-loss-of-sense-of-sin/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> Upon the retirement of Cardinal [[Francesco Marchisano]] on 31 October 2006, Comastri succeeded him as Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 30 June 2020 | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2006/10/31/0542/01545.html | date= 31 October 2006| language = it |title= Rinunce e Nomine, 31 October 2006 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref>
Pope Benedict XVI created him a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] in the [[Papal consistory|consistory]] of 24 November 2007,<ref>{{cite news| work=La Repubblica | language=it | url=http://www.repubblica.it/2007/10/sezioni/esteri/benedettoxvi-17/concistoro2/concistoro2.html | date=24 November 2007 | title=Concistoro, ecco i nuovi cardinali 'Rappresentano universalità della Chiesa'}}</ref> assigning him the titular church of [[San Salvatore in Lauro]] with the rank of cardinal-deacon.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2007/documents/ns_lit_doc_20071124_titoli_en.html|title=Titular Churches of the new Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church|date=24 November 2007|website=[[Holy See|The Holy See]]|publisher=[[Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff|Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations]]|access-date=1 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728233733/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2007/documents/ns_lit_doc_20071124_titoli_en.html|archive-date=28 July 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to his main duties, he also serves as vice-president of the [[Pontifical Academy of the Immaculate Conception|Pontifical Academy of the Immacolata]] and he has been a member of the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints]] since 2005.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 27 July 2017 | date = 24 October 2005 | language= it | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/10/24/0540/01326.html | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 24.10.2005 | publisher = Press Office of the Holy See}}</ref>
Comastri participated in the [[Papal conclave, 2013|papal conclave]] that elected [[Pope Francis]].<ref>{{cite news | work = Zenit | access-date = 27 July 2017 | url = https://zenit.org/articles/list-of-cardinal-electors/ | date = 12 March 2013 | title= List of Cardinal Electors}}</ref> After ten years as a cardinal-deacon, he was raised to the rank of cardinal-priest on 19 May 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/05/19/0369/00800.html|title=Concistoro per il voto su alcune Cause di Canonizzazione|date=19 May 2018|website=[[Holy See Press Office|Sala Stampa della Santa Sede]]|language=it|trans-title=Consistory for the vote on several Causes for Canonization|access-date=19 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519205052/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/05/19/0369/00800.html|archive-date=19 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a 2020 television interview, Comastri objected to Turkey's decision to turn [[Hagia Sophia]], once a church and long a museum, into a mosque. He said:<ref name=covid/> {{Blockquote| No mosque was ever turned into a Catholic Church, and no Catholic has ever shot at an imam. They’ve even shot the pope himself, on May 13, 1981, in St. Peter’s Square: If they want dialogue, it must be done with fair and honest weapons, with the honesty of looking into each other’s eyes and answering with facts.}} Comastri said [[COVID-19]] "does not come from God" and that powerful states are "organizing world wars, including bacteriological wars"; he said it was possible that Chinese government research was the source of COVID-19, a charge China has denied.<ref name=covid>{{cite news | url = https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/07/vatican-cardinal-suggest-covid-19-made-in-laboratory-condemns-bacteriological-wars/ | work = Crux | access-date = 18 November 2020 | date= 21 July 2020 | title = Vatican cardinal suggest COVID-19 made in laboratory, condemns 'bacteriological wars' | first = Inés | last = San Martín }}</ref>
Pope Francis accepted Comastri's resignation as vicar general, archpriest, and president of the Fabric on 20 February 2021.<ref>{{cite press release | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/02/20/210220c.html | access-date = 20 February 2021 | date= 20 February 2021 | title = Resignations and Appointments, 20.02.2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commons category}} * {{cite web| access-date = 3 December 2017| title= Comastri Card. Angelo |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_comastri_a.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904070729/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_comastri_a.html }} *[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcomastri.html Catholic Hierarchy profile]
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=[[Francesco Marchisano]]|rows=3}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Fabric of Saint Peter|President of the Fabric of Saint Peter]]|years=5 February 2005 – 20 February 2021}} {{s-aft|rows=3|after= [[Mauro Gambetti]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Vicar General for the Vatican City State|Vicar General of His Holiness for the State of Vatican City]]||years=5 February 2005 – 20 February 2021}} {{s-break}} {{s-ttl|title=[[St. Peter's Basilica|Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica]]|years=31 October 2006 – 20 February 2021}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Cardinals created by Benedict XVI}} {{Cardinals of the Catholic Church|state=collapsed}} {{Pope Francis}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comastri, Angelo}} [[Category:1943 births]] [[Category:21st-century Italian cardinals]] [[Category:Bishops of Massa, Tuscany]] [[Category:20th-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops]] [[Category:21st-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Cardinal Vicars]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI]] [[Category:Members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints]] [[Category:Pontifical Lateran University alumni]] [[Category:People from Sorano]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:Pontifical Roman Seminary alumni]]