Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Gran Chancellor emeritus of the Pontifical Urbaniana University, was born on 15 April 1946 in Manduria, Italy.

He was ordained a priest on 3 July 1970 and holds doctorates in philosophy and in canon law. He also holds a diploma in public opinion sciences and techniques, specializing in journalism. While in Rome, he served as assistant pastor and taught in local high schools.

In 1981, he entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See and served in Sri Lanka, Iran and Brazil. In 1992, he was sent to the Philippines, but with residence in Hong Kong, where the Holy See had opened a Mission of Study to follow the situation of the church in China in a moment of social and religious changes.

On 17 January 2001, he was appointed titular Archbishop of Volturno and Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq and in Jordan. He received episcopal ordination on 19 March 2001.

To convey the Church’s closeness to the people during the war in Iraq, he stayed at his post until March 2006 when he was transferred to the Philippines.

On 9 June 2007 he was appointed Substitute of the Secretariat of State.

On 10 May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

He is Grand Chancellor Emeritus of the Pontifical Urbaniana University.

On September 21, 2013, he was confirmed by Pope Francis as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

He participated in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.

On 8 December 2019, Pope Francis appointed him Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 18 February 2012, of the Deaconry of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio (Our Lady of Coromoto in St. John of God).

On 26 June 2018, with Rescriptum ex Audentia Ss.mi, the Holy Father Francis decided to co-opt Cardinal Fernando Filoni, in the Order of Bishops, equating him in all respects to the Cardinals who were given the Title of a suburbicarian Church.

Member of:

• Dicasteries: for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the Oriental Churches, for the Causes of Saints; for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.