Michele Giordano

{{Short description|Italian Roman Catholic prelate}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Michele Giordano | honorific-suffix = | title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Archbishop of Naples|Archbishop emeritus of Naples]] | image = Cardinale Michele Giordano (cropped).jpg | caption = | archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples|Naples]] | enthroned = 9 May 1987 | ended = 20 May 2006 | predecessor = [[Corrado Ursi]] | successor = [[Crescenzio Sepe]] | ordination = 5 July 1953 | consecration = 5 February 1972 | consecrated_by = Giacomo Palombella | cardinal = 28 June 1988 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]] | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] | other_post = [[San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello|Cardinal-Priest of San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello]] | birth_name = | birth_date = 26 September 1930 | birth_place = [[Sant'Arcangelo]], [[Italy]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2010|12|2|1930|9|26|df=y}} | death_place = [[Naples]], Italy | buried = | previous_post = {{plainlist| * [[Archdiocese of Matera|Archbishop of Matera]] (1974{{nbnd}}1987) * Auxiliary bishop of Matera (1971{{nbnd}}1974) }} | nationality = Italian | religion = Catholic | residence = | parents = | occupation = | profession = | alma_mater = | signature = | coat_of_arms = Coat of Arms of Michele Giordano.svg }}

'''Michele Giordano''' (26 September 1930 – 2 December 2010) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate, who was the [[Archbishop of Naples]] and a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal-priest]].<ref>*{{cite web|authorlink=Salvador Miranda (historian) |last=Miranda |first=Salvador |title= GIORDANO, Michele (1930-2010)|url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1988.htm#Giordano|work=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church |publisher=[[Florida International University]]|oclc=53276621}}</ref><ref>{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bgiordano|Michele Cardinal Giordano|21 January 2015}}</ref>

==Biography == Giordano was born at [[Sant'Arcangelo]], in [[Basilicata]]. He was educated at the Minor Seminary in Potenza and later at the Pontifical Regional Seminary, Salerno and finally at the Pontifical Inter-regional Seminary, Posillipo. He was ordained to the priesthood on 5 July 1953. He served from 1953 to 1971 successively in the diocese of Anglona-Tursi as pastor; director of the center for social studies; diocesan assistant of the Catholic Action; professor of religion; vicar general. He was created [[Monsignor|Chaplain of His Holiness]] on 23 February 1968.

In 1971 [[Pope Paul VI]] named him as the [[titular bishop]] of Lari Castello and the Auxiliary Bishop of [[Matera]], and, in 1974, as the Archbishop of Matera; it was eventually renamed as the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina]]. He obtained the title of Metropolitan Archbishop of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples]] in 1987. The following year [[Pope John Paul II]] created him [[Cardinal-Priest]] of [[San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello]].

In 2000 Giordano stood trial in Naples on charges of allegedly using Church funds to support his brother's [[loan shark]] operation. Although acquitted, this made him the most senior cleric in Italy ever to stand trial.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/world/europe/05giordano.html | title=Cardinal Michele Giordano of Italy Dies at 80 | work=The New York Times | date=5 December 2010 }}</ref>

He retired in May 2006, and was succeeded by Cardinal [[Crescenzio Sepe]].

Cardinal Giordano was admitted to the Monaldi Hospital in Naples with respiratory problems and died a week later on 2 December 2010, at age 80. In the papal telegram of condolence sent on 3 December 2010 to Cardinal Sepe, [[Pope Benedict XVI]] offered prayers for the repose of his soul and the Apostolic Blessing to all those in mourning, stating that he learned of the prelate's death "with great sadness."

== References == <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_35.htm |title=Michele Cardinal Giordano |accessdate=2007-01-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203025502/http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_35.htm |archivedate=3 February 2007 }}.</ref>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giordano, Michele}} [[Category:1930 births]] [[Category:2010 deaths]] [[Category:People from Sant'Arcangelo]] [[Category:20th-century Italian cardinals]] [[Category:Archbishops of Naples]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:20th-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Paul VI]]