Paolo Romeo

{{Short description|Italian cardinal and archbishop emeritus}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Paolo Romeo | honorific-suffix = | title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Archbishop of Palermo|Archbishop Emeritus of Palermo]] | image = PaoloRomeo.jpg | caption = Cardinal Romeo presides over a Mass. | province = | archdiocese = [[Archdiocese of Palermo|Palermo]] | diocese = | see = | appointed = 19 December 2006 | enthroned = 10 February 2007 | ended = 27 October 2015 | predecessor = [[Salvatore De Giorgi]] | successor = [[Corrado Lorefice]] | other_post = [[Santa Maria Odigitria al Tritone|Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Odigitria dei Siciliani]] (2010–) | ordination = 18 March 1961 | ordained_by = Angelo Calabretta | consecration = 6 January 1984 | consecrated_by = [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]] | cardinal = 20 November 2010 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]] | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Vulturia|Titular Archbishop of Vulturia]] (1983–2006)|[[Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti]] (1983–90)|[[Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia]] (1990–99)|[[Apostolic Nunciature to Canada|Apostolic Nuncio to Canada]] (1999–2001)|[[Holy See-Italy relations|Apostolic Nuncio to Italy]] (2001–06)|Apostolic Nuncio to San Marino (2001–06)}} | birth_name = Paolo Romeo | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1938|2|20}} | birth_place = [[Acireale]], [[Kingdom of Italy]] | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = [[Italian people|Italian]] | religion = [[Catholic Church]] | residence = | parents = | spouse = | children = | occupation = | profession = | alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|[[Pontifical Gregorian University]]|[[Pontifical Lateran University]]}} | signature = | motto = ''Caritas omnia sustinet'' | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Paolo Romeo.svg }} {{Infobox cardinal styles |name = Paolo Romeo |dipstyle = His Eminence |offstyle = Your Eminence |relstyle = |deathstyle = |image= Coat of arms of Paolo Romeo.svg |image_size= 200px }}

'''Paolo Romeo''' (born 20 February 1938) is an Italian cardinal and [[archbishop]] emeritus of [[Palermo]]. He was appointed to the see of Palermo by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on 19 December 2006.<ref>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bromeo.html Paolo Cardinal Romeo], Catholic-Hierarchy.org</ref>

Romeo was the fifth of nine children. After primary school he entered the [[seminary]] and began studying [[theology]].

His bishop sent him to Rome in 1959 to complete his academic studies and he achieved the [[Licentiate (degree)|licentiate]] in theology at the [[Gregorian University]] and a doctorate in [[canon law]] at the [[Pontifical Lateran University]].

He was [[Holy orders|ordained]] on 18 March 1961 at the chapel of the Episcopal Seminary of Acireale, he was incardinated in the [[Diocese of Acireale]]. He continued his studies at the university and did pastoral ministry as assistant to the Scouts Group "Roma IX" in "Collegio San Giuseppe in Piazza di Spagna" and diocesan assistant of the association "Silenziosi Operai della Croce".

==Diplomatic work== In 1964, he was admitted to the [[Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy]] and on 1 January 1967 he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Romeo worked in the nunciatures in the [[Philippines]], Belgium and [[Luxembourg]] and European Community, Venezuela, and [[Rwanda]] and [[Burundi]]. In 1967, he was called to the Council for Public Affairs of the Church in the Secretariat of State. At the same time, he worked as director of the "Casa Internazionale del Clero" and was regional assistant for the Lazio of the AGESC.

In 1976 he was recalled to the [[Vatican Secretariat of State]] to monitor the life of the Catholic community in the countries of Latin America and activities of the [[Latin American Episcopal Conference]], especially at that time which involved preparation for the 3rd General Conference of that continent which opened on 29 January 1979.

On 17 December 1983 he was appointed [[titular see|Titular]] [[Archbishop]] of [[Vulturia]] by [[Pope John Paul II]] and that same day was appointed [[Apostolic Nuncio]] to [[Haiti]]. Romeo stayed in Haiti until his appointment to serve as Nuncio in [[Colombia]] in April 1990. On 5 February 1999 he was appointed Nuncio to Canada.<ref>{{cite book | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-91-1999-ocr.pdf | date= 1999 | volume = XCI | page= 327 | access-date = 8 January 2020}}</ref>

==Archbishop of Palermo== On 17 April 2001 was named to represent the [[Holy See]] in Italy and [[San Marino]].<ref>{{cite press release | publisher = Holy See Press Office | access-date = 18 August 2019 | date= 17 April 2002 | language = it | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2001/04/17/0217/00604.html | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 17.04.2001 }}</ref> [[Pope Benedict XVI]] appointed Archbishop Romeo to serve as the [[Metropolitan Archbishop]] of [[Palermo]] on 19 December 2006, replacing [[Salvatore De Giorgi]], who had reached the retirement age of 75 in September 2005. In 2005 Archbishop Romeo was awarded Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=161539|title = Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana}}</ref> Archbishop Romeo received the pallium in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on 29 June 2007 from Pope Benedict along with 45 other metropolitan archbishops. Archbishop Romeo was elected president of the [[Sicilian Bishops' Conference|Sicilian Episcopal Conference]] on 14 February 2007.

He was created [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal-Priest]] of [[Santa Maria Odigitria al Tritone|Santa Maria Odigitria]] at a [[papal consistory|consistory]] on 20 November 2010 and was eligible to vote in a papal conclave until his 80th birthday in 2018. He was one of the [[Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 2013|cardinal electors]] who participated in the [[2013 papal conclave]] that selected [[Pope Francis]].

In December 2010 he was appointed a member of the [[Pontifical Council for the Laity]]. On 3 October 2010 he welcomed Pope Benedict when he visited the Sicilian capital. Cardinal Romeo is Sicilian Grand Prior of the Lieutenancy of the [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Catholic)|Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/oessh/luogotenenze_en.html|title=The Lieutenancies of the World Lieutenants and Grand Priors|access-date=2025-06-01}}</ref> At age 75 he submitted his resignation letter to Pope Francis, which was accepted on 27 October 2015.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 27 October 2015 | date = 27 October 2015 | title = Francis' Pastoral Revolution rolls on with two big picks in Italy | last = Allen Jr. | first = John L. | url = http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/10/27/francis-pastoral-revolution-rolls-on-with-two-big-picks-in-italy/ | archive-date = 9 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170909233232/https://cruxnow.com/church/2015/10/27/francis-pastoral-revolution-rolls-on-with-two-big-picks-in-italy/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{cite web| access-date = 25 November 2017| title= Romeo Card. Paolo |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_romeo_p.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904070549/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_romeo_p.html }}

{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=[[Luigi Conti (nuncio)|Luigi Conti]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti]]|years=17 December 1983 – 24 April 1990}} {{s-aft|after=[[Giuseppe Leanza]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Angelo Acerbi]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Apostolic Nunciature to Colombia|Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia]]|years=24 April 1990 – 5 February 1999}} {{s-aft|after=[[Beniamino Stella]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Carlo Curis]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa|Apostolic Nuncio to Canada]]|years=5 February 1999 – 17 April 2001}} {{s-aft|after=[[Luigi Ventura]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Holy See–Italy relations|Apostolic Nuncio to Italy and San Marino]]|years=17 April 2001 – 19 December 2006}} {{s-aft|after=[[Giuseppe Bertello]]}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=[[Marco Cé]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Titular Archbishop of [[Vulturia]]|years=17 December 1983 – 19 December 2006}} {{s-aft|after=[[Rodrigo Mejía Saldarriaga]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Salvatore De Giorgi]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo|Archbishop of Palermo]]|years=19 December 2006 – 27 October 2015}} {{s-aft|after=[[Corrado Lorefice]]}} {{S-bef|before=[[Sotir Ferrara]]}} {{S-ttl|title=Apostolic Administrator of [[Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi]] |years= 8 April 2013 – 28 June 2015}} {{S-aft|after=[[Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro]]}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romeo, Paolo}} [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Acireale]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Palermo]] [[Category:Apostolic nuncios to Colombia]] [[Category:Apostolic nuncios to Canada]] [[Category:Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni]] [[Category:Almo Collegio Capranica alumni]] [[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]] [[Category:Pontifical Lateran University alumni]] [[Category:21st-century Italian cardinals]] [[Category:20th-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI]] [[Category:20th-century Italian cardinals]] [[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] [[Category:Apostolic nuncios to Italy]] [[Category:Apostolic nuncios to San Marino]] [[Category:Apostolic nuncios to Haiti]] [[Category:21st-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:Grand Priors of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre]]