His Eminence Cardinal Pio Laghi, Patron of International Commission for Orders of Chivalry, was born on May 21, 1922 in Castiglione, diocese of Forly, Italy and passed away in Rome on January 10, 2009.

Education. Seminary of Forlì, Forlì; Pontifical Roman Seminary, Rome; Pontifical Lateran University, Rome (doctorates in theology and canon); Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Rome.

Priesthood. Ordained, April 20, 1946, cathedral of Faenza, by Giuseppe Battaglia, bishop of Faenza. Further studies, Rome, 1946-1952. Joined the Secretariat of State, 1952. Secretary of the nunciature in Nicaragua, 1952-1955. Secretary and later auditor in the apostolic delegation in the United States of America, 1955-1961; in the nunciature in India, 1961-1964. Official in the Council of Affairs of the Church, 1964-1969. Domestic prelate of His Holiness, December 21, 1965.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Mauriana and appointed apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine, May 24, 1969. Consecrated, June 22, 1969, cathedral of S. Pietro, Faenza, by Cardinal Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, bishop of title of suburbicarian see of Frascati, secretary of State emeritus, assisted by Agostino Casaroli, titular archbishop of Cartago, and by Giuseppe Battaglia, bishop of Faenza. Pro-nuncio in Chipre, May 28, 1973. Nuncio in Argentina, April 27, 1974. Attended the III General Conference of the Latin American Episcopal Council, Puebla, México, January 27 to February 13, 1979. Apostolic delegate in the United States of America and permanent observer in the Organization of American States, with title of nuncio ad personam, December 10, 1980; pro-nuncio in the United States of America, when diplomatic relations established, March 26, 1984. Pro-prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, April 6, 1990. Attended the VIII Ordinary Assembly of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, September 30 to October 28, 1990.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of June 28, 1991; received the red biretta and the deaconry of S. Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana, June 28, 1991. Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education and grand chancellor of the Pontifical Gregorian University, July 1, 1991. Attended the Special Assembly of the World Synod of Bishops for Europe, Vatican City, November 28 to December 14, 1991; the IV General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, October 12 to 28, 1992. Patronus of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, May 8, 1993. Attended the Special Assembly of the World Synod of Bishops for Africa, Vatican City, April 10 to May 8, 1994; the IX Ordinary Assembly of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, October 2 to 29, 1994; the Special Assembly for Lebanon of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, November 26 to December 14, 1995. Attended the Special Assembly for America of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, November 16 to December 12, 1997. Attended the Special Assembly for Asia of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, April 29 to May 14, 1998; the Special Assembly for Oceania of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, November 22 to December 12, 1998. Cardinal protodeacon, January 9, 1999. Attended the II Special Assembly for Europe of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, October 1 to 23, 1999. Resigned the prefecture, November 15, 1999. Special papal envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority to deliver a personal message from Pope John Paul II promoting a cease fire and the resumption of peace talks, May 30, 2001. Opted for the order of cardinal priests and the title of S. Pietro in Vincoli, February 26, 2002. Lost the right to participate in the conclave when turned 80 years of age, May 21, 2002. Named special papal envoy to the president of the United States of America to carry a message from Pope John Paul II and to illustrate the position and the initiatives undertaken by the Holy See to contribute to the disarmament and peace in the Middle East, March 1, 2003.

        

From left: His Eminence Cardinal Pio Laghi thanks the the President/Chairman of ICOC for the appointment

Bibliography. Bedeschi, Lorenzo. Il Cardinale Pio Laghi : cittadino onorario di Betlemme, nel suo settantesimo anno di età. Roma : Istituto Grafico Editoriale Romano, 1992; Bransom, Charles N. Ordinations of U. S. Catholic bishops 1970-1989. A chronological list. Washington, D.C. : National Conference of Catholic Bishops ; United States Catholic Conference, 1990, p. 208.

 

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