Angelo Bagnasco was born in Pontevico, near Brescia, on 14 January 1943, where his family had been evacuated during the war. He grew up in Genoa's historic Piazza Sarzano — altar boy at six, the desire to be a priest born in elementary school and “kept in my heart.” Ordained on 29 June 1966 by Cardinal Siri, he took a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Genoa and taught metaphysics and contemporary atheism at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy while leading the archdiocese's liturgical and catechetical offices.
He was appointed Bishop of Pesaro in 1998 (consecrated 7 February 1998), became its first metropolitan archbishop in 2000, and served as Military Ordinary of Italy (2003–06). On 29 August 2006 he became Archbishop of Genoa, serving until 8 May 2020. From 2007 to 2017 he was president of the Italian bishops' conference — Benedict XVI's choice as Camillo Ruini's successor — and from 2016 to 2021 president of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences. Benedict XVI created him a cardinal on 24 November 2007, with the title of Gran Madre di Dio. He voted in the 2013 conclave, where he was widely named papabile. His motto is Christus spes mea — “Christ my hope.”
Major Works & Initiatives
President of the Italian bishops
A decade leading the CEI as Ruini's successor.
President of the European bishops' conferences
Five years at the head of the CCEE.
Archbishop of Genoa
Fourteen years in Italy's great port see.
Controversies
On the record
No significant public controversies reported.