Cardinal Paolo Romeo, Archbishop emeritus of Palermo (Italy), was born on 20 February 1938 in Acireale, Sicily, Italy. He began his theological studies in Sicily, but soon moved to Rome in 1959, where he received a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University and a degree in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University.

On 18 March 1961 he was ordained a priest. In 1964 he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and on 1 January 1967 he began his diplomatic work and served as a pontifical representative in the Philippines, Belgium, Rwanda, Burundi, Venezuela and Luxembourg.

In 1976, he was called to the Secretariat of State and began working in the Council for Public Affairs of the Church.

On 17 December 1983 he was appointed titular Archbishop of Vulturia and apostolic nuncio to Haiti, and on 6 January 1984 he was consecrated bishop.

In April 1990, Pope John Paul II sent him as his representative to Colombia and stayed until 5 February 1999, when he was made nuncio to Canada. On 17 April 2001 he was appointed nuncio to Italy and San Marino.

On 19 December 2006 he was appointed Archbishop of Palermo. He was president of the Sicilian Bishops Conference.

Archbishop emeritus of Palermo, 27 October 2015.  

From 8 April 2013 to 31 March 2015 he was also Apostolic Administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi, Sicily, Italy.

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

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 20 November 2010, of the Title of Santa Maria Odigitria dei Siciliani (Saint Mary Hodegetria of the Sicilians), Deaconry elevated pro hac vice to Presbyteral title.