# Jean Zerbo

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Malian Roman Catholic prelate (born 1943)

Jean Zerbo Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Bamako Zerbo in June 2017 Church Roman Catholic Archdiocese Bamako See Bamako Appointed 27 June 1998 Term ended 25 July 2024 Predecessor Luc Auguste Sangaré Successor Robert Cissé Other post Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Antonio da Padova in Via Tuscolana (2017-) Previous posts Auxiliary Bishop of Bamako (1988–94) Titular Bishop of Accia (1988–94) Bishop of Mopti (1994–98) Orders Ordination 10 July 1971 by Pierre Louis Leclerc Consecration 20 November 1988 by Jozef Tomko Created cardinal 28 June 2017 by Pope Francis Rank Cardinal-Priest Personal details Born (1943-12-27) 27 December 1943 (age 82) Ségou, Mali Motto Intendant des mystères de Dieu Coat of arms

**Jean Zerbo** (born 27 December 1943) is a Malian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of [Bamako](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Bamako) from 1998 to 2024. [Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) raised him to the rank of [cardinal](/source/Cardinal_(Catholic_Church)) on 28 June 2017. He is the first cardinal from [Mali](/source/Mali).

## Biography

Jean Zerbo was born on 27 December 1943 in [Ségou](/source/S%C3%A9gou), [Mali](/source/Mali), and ordained a priest there on 10 July 1971[1] by [Pierre Louis Leclerc](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pierre_Louis_Leclerc&action=edit&redlink=1), Bishop of [Ségou](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_S%C3%A9gou).[2]

He continued his education first in Lyon in 1975[3] and then in Rome at the [Pontifical Biblical Institute](/source/Pontifical_Biblical_Institute) from 1977 to 1981, earning his licenciate in sacred scripture.[1] Beginning in 1982, he was assigned to parish work in [Markala](/source/Markala) while also teaching at the Major Seminary in Bamako.[1]

On 21 June 1988, [Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II) appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of [Bamako](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Bamako) and Titular Bishop of [Accia](/source/Diocese_of_Accia).[4] On 20 November 1988, he was [consecrated](/source/Consecrated) bishop by [Jozef Tomko](/source/Jozef_Tomko), Prefect of the [Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples](/source/Congregation_for_the_Evangelization_of_Peoples), with [Luc Auguste Sangaré](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luc_Auguste_Sangar%C3%A9&action=edit&redlink=1), Archbishop of Bamako, and [Joseph Paul Barnabé Perrot](/source/Joseph_Paul_Barnab%C3%A9_Perrot), Bishop emeritus of [San](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_San), as [co-consecrators](/source/Co-consecrators).[5]

On 19 December 1994, Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of [Mopti](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Mopti)[6] and on 27 June 1998 [Archbishop of Bamako](/source/Archbishop_of_Bamako).[7]

[Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) raised Zerbo to the rank of cardinal at a [consistory on 28 June 2017](/source/Cardinals_created_by_Francis#28_June_2017),[8] assigning him the rank of cardinal-priest with the title of [Sant'Antonio da Padova in Via Tuscolana](/source/Sant'Antonio_da_Padova_in_Via_Tuscolana).[9] He is the first cardinal from Mali.[10] At the end of May, *[Le Monde](/source/Le_Monde)* reported that Zerbo and other Malian prelates had secret Swiss bank accounts.[11] Mali's conference of bishops responded that the financial dealings were "transparent", called the news report "tendentious", and noted that the [Swiss Leaks](/source/Swiss_Leaks) release of financial documents appeared timed to embarrass the Catholic Church in Mali just when Zerbo's elevation put it in the public spotlight.[12][10] *[La Stampa](/source/La_Stampa)* said that Zerbo's participation in the consistory demonstrated that an internal investigation had cleared him of financial wrongdoing.[13]

As archbishop he has fostered dialogue between Christians and Mali's Muslim majority and participated in peace negotiations,[14][15] as well as called for humanitarian aid to those affected by conflicts in the country.[16] In 2012, he was part of a delegation of representatives of civil society that participated in discussions between Mali's ruling military regime and opposition political parties. He has been an advocate for national reconciliation ever since.[17] He has also served as president of Caritas Mali, an international aid program for refugees and the poor.[17]

On 4 October 2017, he was appointed a member of the [Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples](/source/Congregation_for_the_Evangelization_of_Peoples).[18] Pope Francis made him a member of the [Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life](/source/Dicastery_for_the_Laity%2C_Family_and_Life) on 23 December 2017.[19]

Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Bamako on 25 July 2024.[20]

## See also

- [Catholic Church in Mali](/source/Catholic_Church_in_Mali)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Annuncio_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Annuncio_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Annuncio_1-2) ["Annuncio di Concistoro il 28 giugno per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 21.05.2017"](http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/05/21/0345/00779.html) (Press release) (in Italian). Press Office of the Holy See. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Mali: l'évêque de Bamako nommé Cardinal par le pape François"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171013172348/https://africapostnews.com/2017/05/22/mali-leveque-de-bamako-nomme-cardinal-pape-francois/). *Africa Post News* (in French). 22 May 2017. Archived from [the original](https://africapostnews.com/2017/05/22/mali-leveque-de-bamako-nomme-cardinal-pape-francois/) on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Mali : Mgr Jean Zerbo, archevêque de Bamako, nommé cardinal par le pape François"](http://www.jeuneafrique.com/440745/societe/mali-mgr-jean-zerbo-archeveque-de-bamako-nomme-cardinal-pape-francois/). *Jeune Afrique* (in French). 22 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*Acta Apostolicae Sedis*](https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-80-1988-ocr.pdf) (PDF). Vol. LXXX. 1988. p. 1248. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Cheney, David M. ["Jean Cardinal Zerbo \[Catholic-Hierarchy\]"](http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bzerbo.html). *www.catholic-hierarchy.org*. Retrieved 13 February 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Acta Apostolicae Sedis*](https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-87-1995-ocr.pdf) (PDF). Vol. LXXXVII. 1995. p. 214. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [*Acta Apostolicae Sedis*](https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-90-1998-ocr.pdf) (PDF). Vol. LXXXX. 1998. p. 821. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Brockhaus, Hannah (28 June 2017). ["Pope Francis to Five New Cardinals: Jesus 'Calls You to Serve Like Him and With Him'"](http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pope-francis-to-five-new-cardinals-jesus-calls-you-to-serve-like-him-and-wi). *National Catholic Register*. Retrieved 28 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Ordinary Public Consistory: Assignment of Titles"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/06/28/170628e.html). *[Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office)*. 28 June 2017. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170902190858/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/06/28/170628e.html) from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-first_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-first_10-1) Luxmoore, Jonathan (21 June 2017). ["Mali's first cardinal said to foster regional peace, understanding"](https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/malis-first-cardinal-said-foster-regional-peace-understanding). *National Catholic Reporter*. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 26 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Dembélé, David (30 May 2017). ["Mali: l'archevêque de Bamako a abrité des millions d'euros en Suisse"](http://mobile.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2017/05/31/mali-desormais-cardinal-l-archeveque-de-bamako-a-abrite-des-millions-d-euros-en-suisse_5136232_3212.html) [Mali: archbishop of Bamako sheltered millions of euros in Switzerland]. *Le Monde* (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Vaticano, accuse al neocardinale del Mali: 'Conti in Svizzera con 12 milioni di euro'"](http://www.repubblica.it/vaticano/2017/05/31/news/swissleaks_cardinale_bamako_mali-166931416/) [Vatican, accuse the new Malian cardinal: accounts in Switzerland with 12 million euros]. *La Repubblica* (in Italian). 31 May 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Tornielli, Andrea (28 June 2017). ["Il Papa: "Gesù non vi chiama a essere prìncipi, ma a servire""](http://www.lastampa.it/2017/06/28/vaticaninsider/ita/vaticano/il-papa-ges-non-vi-chiama-a-essere-prncipi-nella-chiesa-ma-a-servire-S8ytR3qjhvAhNe3xU8hHYL/pagina.html). *La Stampa* (in Italian). Retrieved 28 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["L'archevêque Jean Zerbo de Bamako nommé cardinal par le pape François"](http://malijet.com/a_la_une_du_mali/186071-l-archeveque-jean-zerbo-de-bamako-nomme-cardinal-par-le-pape-fra.html). *MaliJet* (in French). 21 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** D'Emilio, Frances. ["Pope names cardinals for Laos, Mali, Sweden, Spain, Salvador"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170522062958/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pope-names-cardinals-for-laos-mali-sweden-spain-salvador/2017/05/21/a9126b06-3e15-11e7-b29f-f40ffced2ddb_story.html). *Washington Post*. Archived from [the original](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pope-names-cardinals-for-laos-mali-sweden-spain-salvador/2017/05/21/a9126b06-3e15-11e7-b29f-f40ffced2ddb_story.html) on 22 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Slama, Joe. ["Mali's first cardinal, Archbishop Jean Zerbo"](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/36314/malis-first-cardinal-archbishop-jean-zerbo). *Catholic News Agency*. Catholic News Agency/EWTN News. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pace_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pace_17-1) Attanasio, Luca (22 May 2017). ["Jean Zerbo, il cardinale della pace in Mali"](http://www.lastampa.it/2017/05/22/vaticaninsider/eng/the-vatican/jean-zerbo-cardinal-of-peace-in-mali-N2pMFzPJtt1gEZnjAadsJJ/pagina.html). *La Stampa*. Retrieved 23 May 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Resignations and Appointments, 04.10.2017"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/10/04/171004a.html) (Press release). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). 4 October 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Resignations and Appointments, 23.12.2017"](http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/12/23/171223a.html) (Press release). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). 23 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Resignations and Appointments, 25.07.2024"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/07/25/240725a.html) (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Jean Zerbo](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Jean_Zerbo)***.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Jean Zerbo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Jean_Zerbo).

- ["Zerbo Card. Jean"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_zerbo_j.html). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170904105014/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_zerbo_j.html) from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

- Slama, Joe (27 June 2017). ["Mali's first cardinal, Archbishop Jean Zerbo"](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/36314/malis-first-cardinal-archbishop-jean-zerbo). Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 23 October 2017.

Catholic Church titles Preceded by Louis Jean Dufaux — TITULAR — Titular Bishop of Accia 21 June 1988 – 19 December 1994 Succeeded by Jean-Claude Périsset Preceded by Georges Biard Bishop of Mopti 19 December 1994 – 27 June 1998 Succeeded by Georges Fonghoro Preceded by Luc Auguste Sangaré Archbishop of Bamako 27 June 1998 – 25 July 2024 Succeeded by Robert Cissé Preceded by Paulo Evaristo Arns Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Antonio da Padova in Via Tuscolana 28 June 2017– Incumbent

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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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jean Zerbo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Zerbo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Zerbo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.