# Jean-Pierre Kutwa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jean-Pierre_Kutwa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jean-Pierre_Kutwa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Kutwa > Source revision: 1340923449 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Jean-Pierre Kutwa Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Abidjan Cardinal Kutwa. Archdiocese Abidjan See Abidjan Appointed 2 May 2006 Term ended 20 May 2024 Predecessor Bernard Agré Successor Ignace Bessi Dogbo Other post Cardinal-Priest of Santa Emerenziana a Tor Fiorenza Previous post Archbishop of Gagnoa (2001–2006) Orders Ordination 11 July 1971 by Bernard Yago Consecration 16 September 2001 by Bernard Agré Created cardinal 22 February 2014 by Pope Francis Rank Cardinal-Priest Personal details Born (1945-12-22) 22 December 1945 (age 80) Blockhauss, Ivory Coast Motto Sinite parvulos venire ad me (Let the little children come to me) Coat of arms Ordination history of Jean-Pierre Kutwa History Priestly ordination Date 11 July 1971 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Bernard Agre Co-consecrators Laurent Akran Mandjo Barthelemy Djabla Date 16 September 2001 Cardinalate Elevated by Pope Francis Date 22 February 2014 Ivorian Catholic prelate Styles of Jean-Pierre Kutwa Reference style His Eminence Spoken style Your Eminence Religious style Cardinal Informal style Cardinal **Jean-Pierre Kutwa** (born 22 December 1945) is an [Ivorian Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church_in_Ivory_Coast) prelate who served as [Archbishop of Abidjan](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Abidjan) from 2006 to 2024. [Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) made him a [cardinal](/source/Cardinal_(Catholicism)) in 2014. ## Biography Kutwa was born on 22 December 1945 in Blockhauss (Abidjan). He had initial studies the school St Jean-Bosco, Treichville, in 1950; on 18 September 1955, he entered the "Petit-Clerc", Bingerville in class of CMI; in 1957, he entered the Minor Seminary in Bingerville, where he completed his secondary studies. Kutwa is also a composer.[1] ### Education On 2 October 1964, he entered the Grand Seminary of Anyama, where he studied philosophy and theology; on 22 December 1967, he received the cassock and the ecclesiastical tonsure; he received the diaconate on 20 December 1970, from Archbishop [Bernard Yago](/source/Bernard_Yago) of Abidjan, in the church of Notre Dame du Perpétuel Secours in Treichville; also, he studied at the Catholic Institute of Occidental Africa (I.C.A.O.), where he obtained a maîtrise in Biblical theology; and at the [Pontifical Urbaniana University](/source/Pontifical_Urbaniana_University), Rome, where he earned a doctorate in Biblical theology. ## Priesthood and Episcopate He was ordained a priest on 11 July 1971 by Cardinal [Bernard Yago](/source/Bernard_Yago). [Pope John-Paul II](/source/Pope_John-Paul_II) named him [archbishop](/source/Archbishop) of the [archdiocese of Gagnoa](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Gagnoa) on 15 May 2001. He was consecrated bishop on 16 September by Cardinal [Bernard Agré](/source/Bernard_Agr%C3%A9), Archbishop of Abidjan. He took part in the [Synod of Bishops](/source/Synod_of_Bishops_(Catholic)) that met at the Vatican in October 2005 as a delegate of the bishops of the Ivory Coast.[1] In May 2006, [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI) transferred him to the metropolitan see of Abidjan to succeed the retiring Cardinal Agré. Following the violence in the Ivory Coast that followed the November 2010 elections and ended in April 2011, he called for reconciliation: "Yes, the Ivory Coast must be a land of friendship and brotherhood, from the North or from the South, black or white, from here or elsewhere."[2] In January 2012, speaking on behalf of the National Forum of Religious Groups, he called for [Alassane Ouattara](/source/Alassane_Ouattara), President of the Ivory Coast and a Muslim, to release political prisoners, supporters of his defeated rival for the presidency, in order to facilitate the process of national reconciliation.[3] Kutwa is the president of the bishops commission for ecumenism as well as vice-president of the [Regional Episcopal Conference of Francophone West Africa](/source/Regional_Episcopal_Conference_of_Francophone_West_Africa). ## Cardinal On 12 January 2014, Pope Francis announced that he would name Kutwa a cardinal at the papal consistory scheduled for 22 February 2014, along with 18 others.[4] He was created [Cardinal-Priest](/source/Cardinal-Priest) of [Santa Emerenziana a Tor Fiorenza](/source/Santa_Emerenziana_a_Tor_Fiorenza) in February 2014. In September 2014, he was appointed a member of the [Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples](/source/Congregation_for_the_Evangelization_of_Peoples), the [Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life](/source/Congregation_for_Institutes_of_Consecrated_Life_and_Societies_of_Apostolic_Life), the [Pontifical Council for the Laity](/source/Pontifical_Council_for_the_Laity), and the [Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace](/source/Pontifical_Council_for_Justice_and_Peace). Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Abidjan on 20 May 2024.[5] He participated as a [cardinal elector](/source/Cardinal_electors_in_the_2025_papal_conclave) in the [2025 papal conclave](/source/2025_papal_conclave) that elected [Pope Leo XIV](/source/Pope_Leo_XIV).[6] ## See also - [Cardinals created by Francis](/source/Cardinals_created_by_Francis) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bernardelli_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bernardelli_1-1) Bernardelli, Giorgio (13 January 2014). ["Meet the Church's two new cardinals from West Africa"](http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/world-news/detail/articolo/africa-africa-africa-31229/). *Vatican Insider*. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["L'archevêque d'Abidjan appelle les Ivoiriens à la Réconciliation"](http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/DEPAFP20110424154338/violences-paix-reconciliation-refugiesl-archeveque-d-abidjan-appelle-les-ivoiriens-a-la-reconciliation.html). *Jeune Afrique*. 24 April 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Processus de réconciliation nationale: Monseigneur Jean-Pierre Kutwa demande la libération des prisonniers politiques"](http://news.abidjan.net/h/448197.html). *Abidjan Net*. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** McElwee, Joshua L. (12 January 2014). ["Pope chooses new cardinals from Africa, Asia, Latin America"](http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/pope-chooses-new-cardinals-africa-asia-latin-america). *National Catholic Reporter*. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Resignations and Appointments (continued), 20.05.2024"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/05/20/240520f.html) (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Cardinal Electors"](https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html). Catholic-Hierarchy.org. 6 May 2025. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250506193115/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html) from the original on 6 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025. ## External links Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Jean-Pierre Kutwa](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Jean-Pierre_Kutwa)***. Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Jean-Pierre Kutwa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Jean-Pierre_Kutwa). - ["Kutwa Card. Jean-Pierre"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_kutwa_jp.html). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170904062633/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_kutwa_jp.html) from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017. - [Jean-Pierre Kutwa](http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkutwa.html) - [Diocese of Abidjan](http://www.dioceseabidjan.com/diocese/fr/) - [Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=Jean-Pierre+Kutwa&tbm=isch&) Catholic Church titles Preceded by Noel Kokora-Tekry Archbishop of Gagnoa 15 May 2001-2 May 2006 Succeeded by Barthelemy Djabla Preceded by Bernard Agre Archbishop of Abidjan 2 May 2006–20 May 2024 Succeeded by Ignace Bessi Dogbo Preceded by Medardo Joseph Mazombwe Cardinal Priest of Santa Emerenziana a Tor Fiorenza 22 February 2014–present Incumbent v t e College of Cardinals List of current cardinals Cardinals of the Catholic Church under Pope Leo XIV in order of precedence Cardinal bishops Re Sandri Arinze Bertone Martins Parolin Ouellet Filoni Stella Tagle Raï Sako Cardinal priests Kitbunchu Poupard Wetter López Rodríguez Mahony Darmaatmadja Wamala Maida Puljić Sandoval Stafford De Giorgi Rouco Schönborn Rivera Pujats Sepe Kasper Bačkis Errázuriz Napier Rodríguez Cipriani Herranz Scola Okogie Zubeir Wako Rigali Antonelli Turkson Bozanić Barbarin Erdő Rodé Vallini Rosales Ricard Cañizares O'Malley Dziwisz Zen Lajolo Comastri Ryłko Farina Brady Martínez Sistach Bagnasco Sarr Gracias Robles DiNardo Scherer Njue Sarah Monterisi Burke Koch Piacenza Ravasi Romeo Wuerl Assis Nycz Ranjith Marx Brandmüller de Castro Abril Vegliò Bertello Coccopalmerio Aviz O'Brien Calcagno Versaldi Alencherry Collins Eijk Betori Dolan Woelki Tong Harvey Thottunkal Onaiyekan Salazar Baldisseri Müller Nichols Brenes Lacroix Kutwa Tempesta Bassetti Poli Yeom Ezzati Ouédraogo Quevedo Langlois Clemente Souraphiel Dew Nguyễn Suárez Bo Kovithavanij Montenegro Sturla Blázquez Lacunza Gomes Furtado Mafi Villalba Langa Nzapalainga Osoro Rocha Cupich D'Rozario Porras De Kesel Piat Aguiar Retes Ribat Tobin Zerbo Omella Arborelius Mangkhanekhoun Rosa De Donatis Coutts Marto Barreto Tsarahazana Petrocchi Maeda Ticona Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo García Ambongo Besungu Hollerich Ramazzini Zuppi López Romero Tamkevičius Kambanda Gregory Advincula Aós Lojudice Arizmendi Aveline Okpaleke Steiner Ferrão McElroy do Carmo da Silva Cantoni Poola Costa Goh Martínez Flores Marengo Jiménez Miglio Pizzaballa Brislin Rossi Rueda Ryś Mulla Cobo Rugambwa Francis Chow Bustillo Alves Aguiar Padrón Castillo Bokalic Cabrera Chomalí Kikuchi David Nemet Spengler Bessi Dogbo Vesco Mathieu Repole Reina Leo Bychok Battaglia Cardinal deacons Mamberti Zenari Farrell Simoni Ladaria Becciu Krajewski Bocos Mendonça Czerny Fitzgerald Grech Semeraro Gambetti Tomasi Cantalamessa Feroci Roche You Vérgez Ghirlanda Frezza Gugerotti Fernández Pierre Fernández Artime Marchetto Acerbi Makrickas Radcliffe Baggio Koovakad Cardinals ineligible to participate in a papal conclave in italics See also: Titular Titular church List of titular churches List of creations of cardinals Category Media Catholic Church portal v t e Cardinals created by Francis 2014 Parolin Baldisseri Müller Stella Nichols Brenes Lacroix Kutwa Tempesta Bassetti Poli Yeom Ezzati Ouédraogo Quevedo Langlois Capovilla Aguilar Felix 2015 Mamberti Clemente Souraphiel Dew Menichelli Nhơn Suárez Inda Bo Kovitvanit Montenegro Sturla Blázquez Lacunza Gomes Furtado Mafi Pimiento De Magistris Rauber Villalba Langa 2016 Zenari Nzapalainga Osoro da Rocha Cupich D'Rozario Porras De Kesel Piat Farrell Aguiar Retes Ribat Tobin Fernandez Corti Khoarai Simoni 2017 Zerbo Omella Arborelius Mangkhanekhoun Rosa 2018 Sako Ladaria De Donatis Becciu Krajewski Coutts Marto Barreto Tsarahazana Petrocchi Maeda Obeso Ticona Bocos 2019 Ayuso de Mendonça Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo García Ambongo Hollerich Ramazzini Zuppi López Czerny Fitzgerald Tamkevičius Dal Corso 2020 Grech Semeraro Kambanda Gregory Advincula Aós Braco Sim Lojudice Gambetti Arizmendi Tomasi Cantalamessa Feroci 2022 Roche You Vérgez Aveline Okpaleke Steiner Ferrão McElroy do Carmo da Silva Cantoni Poola Costa Baawobr Goh Martínez Flores Marengo Jimenéz Miglio Ghirlanda Frezza 2023 Prevost Gugerotti Fernández Tscherrig Pierre Pizzaballa Brislin Rossi Rueda Ryś Mulla Cobo Rugambwa Francis Chow Bustillo Alves Aguiar Fernández Artime Marchetto Padrón Dri 2024 Acerbi Castillo Bokalic Cabrera Chomali Kikuchi David Nemet Spengler Bessi Dogbo Vesco Mathieu Repole Reina Leo Makrickas Bychok Radcliffe Baggio Koovakad Battaglia Catholic Church portal Authority control databases International VIAF GND WorldCat National United States --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jean-Pierre Kutwa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Kutwa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Kutwa?action=history)). 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