{{Short description|French Roman Catholic prelate (1942–2022)}} {{Infobox Christian leader | honorific-prefix = His Excellency | name =Bernard Barsi | honorific-suffix = | title = Archbishop of Monaco | image = Coat of arms of Bernard César Augustin Barsi.svg | image_size = 100px | motto = INSTAURARE OMNIA IN CHRISTO | alt = | caption = | appointed = 16 May 2000 | term_end = 21 January 2020 | predecessor = Joseph-Marie Sardou | successor = Dominique-Marie David | other_post = <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 28 June 1969 | ordained_by = Jean Mouisset | consecration = 8 October 2000 | consecrated_by = Marc-Armand Lallier <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|08|04|df=yes}} | birth_place = Nice, France | death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|12|28|1942|08|04|df=yes}} | death_place = Nice, France | buried = | nationality = French | alma_mater = | signature = }}

'''Bernard César Augustin Barsi''' (4 August 1942 – 28 December 2022) was a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was the archbishop of Monaco from 2000 to 2020.

==Biography== Barsi was born on 4 August 1942 in Nice, France. He was ordained a priest on 28 June 1969.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | access-date = 21 January 2020 | date= 16 May 2000 |url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2000/05/16/0306/01107.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Rinunce e nomine, 16.05.2000 }}</ref>

After his ordination, he served as a vicar at the parish of Saint-Etienne de Tinée in Nice from 1969 until 1972. From 1972 to 1982 he worked in the vocations office of the diocese. He was appointed pastor of La Trinité parish, serving in that capacity from 1982 to 1991. He was made vicar general of the diocese of Nice in 1991, and served in that position until 2000 with a brief interruption from 1997 to 1998, when he was administrator of the Diocese of Rennes.<ref name=vatbio/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eglise-catholique.mc/archeveche/index.htm | language = French | title = Archevêché | publisher = Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco | accessdate = 2 July 2011 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110928150746/http://www.eglise-catholique.mc/archeveche/index.htm | archivedate = 28 September 2011 }}</ref>

Barsi was appointed the archbishop of Monaco on 16 May 2000.<ref name=vatbio/> He was consecrated a bishop on 8 October of the same year. His principal consecrator was Jean Bonfils, S.M.A., Bishop of Nice, who was assisted by François Saint-Macary, the Archbishop of Rennes, and Joseph-Marie Sardou, S.C.J., then the Archbishop Emeritus of Monaco.<ref name="cathhier">{{cite web | last = Cheney | first = David M | title = Archbishop Bernard César Augustin Barsi | work = Catholic-Hierarchy | date = 20 February 2011 | url = http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbarsi.html | accessdate = 2 July 2011}}</ref>

In 2003 he oversaw a Vatican investigation into abuse of choirboys in the 1970s in Rome. The result was inconclusive.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Barsi officiated at the funeral of Prince Rainier III in April 2005,<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.faz.net/artikel/S30602/beerdigung-trauerfeier-fuer-rainier-jetzt-fuehlen-wir-uns-alle-verwaist-30026704.html | title = Trauerfeier für Rainier: 'Jetzt fühlen wir uns alle verwaist' | language = German | newspaper = Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung | date = 15 April 2005 | accessdate = 2 July 2011}}</ref> and on 2 July 2011, he presided over the wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock.<ref>{{cite news | title = Monaco et la religion catholique | url = http://www.lemondedesreligions.fr/actualite/monaco-et-la-religion-catholique-01-07-2011-1684_118.php | newspaper = Le Monde | language = French | first = Christine | last = Pignarre | date = 1 July 2011 | accessdate = 2 July 2011 | archive-date = 15 December 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111215070822/http://www.lemondedesreligions.fr/actualite/monaco-et-la-religion-catholique-01-07-2011-1684_118.php | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Barsi was the Grand Prior of the Monaco Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 21 January 2020.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = January 21, 2020 | date= January 21, 2020|url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2020/01/21/0039/00085.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Rinunce e nomine, 21.01.2020 }}</ref>

Barsi died of a heart attack on 28 December 2022, at the age of 80.<ref>[https://qe-magazine.com/ultima-oramons-bernard-barsi-arcivescovo-emerito-di-monaco-e-deceduto/ Mons. Bernard Barsi, Arcivescovo emerito di Monaco, è deceduto] {{in lang|it}}</ref>

== Honours == * {{Flag|Monaco}} : Officer of the Order of Grimaldi (Nov. 2011)<ref>[http://www.palais.mc/monaco/palais-princier/francais/s.a.s.-le-prince-albert-ii/actualite/2011/novembre/remise-de-decorations-ordre-de-saint-charles-et.2397.html Remise de décorations Ordre de Saint Charles et Grimaldi] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424145046/http://www.palais.mc/monaco/palais-princier/francais/s.a.s.-le-prince-albert-ii/actualite/2011/novembre/remise-de-decorations-ordre-de-saint-charles-et.2397.html |date=April 24, 2012 }} (French)</ref><ref>Sovereign Ordonnance [http://www.legimonaco.mc/Dataweb/jourmon.nsf/56ae81d1d4180496c12568ce002f290a/a2c3eea0da137b8dc1257952005b8d07/$FILE/JO8044%20O.S.%203.537.pdf n° 3.537 du 17 novembre 2011] portant promotions ou nominations dans l’Ordre de Grimaldi (French).</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{succession box | title=Archbishop of Monaco | before=Joseph-Marie Sardou| after=Dominique-Marie David| years=16 May 2000 &ndash; 21 January 2020 }} {{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barsi, Bernard}} Category:1942 births Category:2022 deaths Category:French Roman Catholic archbishops Category:Archbishops of Monaco Category:People from Nice Category:Officers of the Order of Grimaldi Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour Category:Grand Priors of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Category:Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre