{{Short description|Italian priest (born 1942)}} {{Infobox Christian leader |type = Cardinal |honorific_prefix = [[His Eminence]] |name = Fortunato Frezza |honorific_suffix = |title = [[Canon (clergy)|Canon]] of [[St. Peter's Basilica]]<br/>[[Master of Ceremonies]] of the [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Catholic)|Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] |image = Fortunato Frezza.png |caption = Cardinal Frezza, 2024 |church = [[Roman Catholic Church]] |diocese = |see = |appointed = 29 September 2013 |term_start = |predecessor = |other_post = Cardinal-Deacon of [[Santa Maria in Via Lata]] (2022-) |ordination = 28 June 1966 |ordained_by = [[Luigi Rosa (bishop)|Luigi Rosa]] |consecration = 23 July 2022 |consecrated_by = [[Mauro Gambetti]] |cardinal = 27 August 2022 |created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Francis]] |rank = Cardinal deacon |birth_name = Fortunato Frezza |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1942|02|06}} |birth_place = Montecalvello, [[Italy]] |death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> |death_place = |previous_post = [[Synod of Bishops in the Catholic Church|Under-Secretary of the Synod of Bishops]] (1997–2014)<br />Titular Archbishop of [[Trevi nel Lazio|Treba]] (2022) |motto = ''Loquendo Scripturas aperiens'' |coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Fortunato Frezza (cardinal).svg }} {{Infobox cardinalstyles |name=Fortunato Frezza |dipstyle= *[[His Eminence]] |offstyle= Your Eminence |relstyle= Cardinal |image = Coat of arms of Fortunato Frezza (cardinal).svg |image_size = 200px }}
'''Fortunato Frezza''' (born 6 February 1942) is an Italian prelate of the [[Catholic Church]] who devoted his career to Biblical scholarship and teaching. He has been a canon of [[St. Peter's Basilica]] since 2013.
[[Pope Francis]] made him a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] on 27 August 2022.
==Biography== Fortunato Frezza was born in the Montecalvello neighborhood of [[Viterbo]] on 6 February 1942.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://corrierediviterbo.corr.it/news/viterbo/31808111/viterbo-cardinale-fortunato-frezza-intervista-reazione.html|title = Viterbo, le prime parole del neo cardinale Fortunato Frezza: "Stupito e incredulo"|language = it|work = Corriere di Viterbo|date = 31 May 2022|first = Daniela|last = Venanzi|access-date = 7 June 2022|archive-date = 5 June 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220605080732/https://corrierediviterbo.corr.it/news/viterbo/31808111/viterbo-cardinale-fortunato-frezza-intervista-reazione.html|url-status = dead}}</ref> He studied at the minor seminary of [[Bagnoregio]] and the major seminary of Viterbo. On 28 June 1966 he was ordained a priest of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Bagnoregio|Diocese of Bagnoregio]] by Bishop [[Luigi Rosa (bishop)|Luigi Rosa]] of Bagnoregio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/viterbodiocesinforma/photos/a.1528449697478643/3221166974873565/|title=Mons. Fortunato Frezza nominato Cardinale| date=29 May 2022|website= Diocese of Viterbo | via = Facebook |language = it |access-date= 7 June 2022}}</ref> He obtained a licentiate in theology from the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] in 1967 and a degree in sacred scripture from the [[Pontifical Biblical Institute]] in Rome in 1977 with a thesis on the book of the prophet [[Micah (prophet)|Micah]].<ref name=cvatbio>{{cite web | access-date = 7 June 2022 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2022/05/29/0408/00844.html | date = 29 May 2022 | language = it | title = Annuncio di Concistoro il 27 agosto per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 29.05.2022 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref>
From 1971 to 1984 he was parish priest of [[Graffignano|Sipicciano]]. During those years he also taught of sacred scripture in various places: as an assistant at the Pontifical Gregorian University; at La Quercia Viterbo Regional Seminary; at institutes of religious studies im Albano, Civita Castellana, and Viterbo; at the theological schools of the {{ill|Congregation of St. Joseph|it|Congregazione di San Giuseppe}} in Viterbo and of the [[Salesians of Don Bosco|Salesians]] in the Holy Land.<ref name=white>{{cite news | access-date = 31 May 2022 | work = National Catholic Reporter | date = 29 May 2022 | url = https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/pope-francis-names-16-new-cardinal-electors-including-san-diegos-bishop-mcelroy | first = Christopher | last = White | title = Pope Francis names 16 new cardinal electors, including San Diego's Bishop McElroy }}</ref>
In 1983 he joined the staff of the General Secretariat of the [[Synod of Bishops in the Catholic Church|Synod of Bishops]]<ref name=white/> and on 23 June 1997 he was named its under-secretary by [[Pope John Paul II]]. On 13 December 2011 [[Pope Benedict XVI]] confirmed his appointment as under-secretary until his 72nd birthday.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/2012/gennaio2012.pdf|title=Acta Apostolicae Sedis|volume=CIV |language = it | publisher=Tipografia poliglotta vaticana|date= January 2012|page=76|access-date= 7 June 2022}}</ref>
In September 2013, [[Pope Francis]] appointed him a canon of [[St. Peter's Basilica]] and he was invested on 29 September;<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 9 July 2022 | url = https://www.ilmessaggero.it/viterbo/papa_francesco_fortunato_frezza_canonico_di_san_pietro_cappellano_roma_calcio-204133.html | language = it | work = Il Messaggero | date = 26 September 2013 | title = Papa Francesco nomina Canonico di San Pietro un sacerdote viterbese }}</ref> in 2022 he became Camerlengo of the Chapter of St. Peter in the Vatican. He has also held chaplaincies for Directorate of Health and Hygiene in the Vatican, for various monasteries of nuns, and for the football team [[A.S. Roma]]. He has authored numerous scholarly articles, especially in Biblical studies.<ref name=white/>
He has been Master of Ceremonies and Spiritual Assistant of the [[Grand Masters and Lieutenancies of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre|Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] since 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title= A great joy for the Order | date = May 2022 | url= http://www.santosepolcro.va/content/ordineequestresantosepolcro/en/la-chiesa/notizie-dalla-chiesa-universale/una-grande-gioia-per-l-ordine.html |website=The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem |access-date=7 June 2022}}</ref>
He received his episcopal consecration on 23 July 2022 from Cardinal [[Mauro Gambetti]], becoming titular archbishop of [[Trevi nel Lazio|Treba]].<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 24 July 2022 | date = 23 July 2022 | language = it | work = Avvenire | title = Fortunato Frezza diventa vescovo. Ad agosto sarà cardinale | url = https://www.avvenire.it/chiesa/pagine/frezza-diventa-vescovo-poi-cardinale | first = Mimmo | last = Muolo }}</ref>
On 27 August 2022, Pope Francis made him a [[cardinal deacon]],<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 29 August 2022 | date = 27 August 2022 | work = The Tablet | url = https://thetablet.org/pope-creates-20-new-cardinals-including-san-diego-archbishop/ | title = Pope Creates 20 New Cardinals, Including San Diego Bishop | first = Junno | last = Arocho Esteves }}</ref> assigning him the deaconry [[Santa Maria in Via Lata]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2022/documents/ns_lit_doc_20220827_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html|title=Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali|date=27 August 2022|website=[[Holy See|The Holy See]]|publisher=[[Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff|Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice]]|language=it|trans-title=Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals|access-date=29 August 2022|archive-url=|archive-date=}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Cardinals created by Pope Francis]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commonscat}}
* {{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_frezza_f.html| title=Frezza Card. Fortunato|website=[[Holy See Press Office]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828005205/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_frezza_f.html|archive-date=28 August 2022|url-status=live}}
{{College of Cardinals}} {{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frezza, Fortunato}} [[Category:1942 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Viterbo]] [[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]] [[Category:Pontifical Biblical Institute alumni]] [[Category:Italian biblical scholars]] [[Category:Roman Catholic biblical scholars]] [[Category:Grand Masters of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] [[Category:21st-century Italian cardinals]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Francis]]