Giovanni Battista Re was born in Borno, Brescia, on 30 January 1934 and ordained for the diocese of Brescia on 3 March 1957. In the Roman Curia from 1963, he was personal secretary to Archbishop Giovanni Benelli, served in Panama and Iran, and was named Assessor in 1979. Appointed Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops in October 1987 (consecrated by John Paul II on 7 November), he became Substitute (Sostituto) for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State in December 1989 — the Pope's chief-of-staff for eleven years.
On 16 September 2000 John Paul II made him Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, posts he held until June 2010. John Paul II created him a cardinal on 21 February 2001, with the title of Santi XII Apostoli; he became Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto in October 2002, presided over the 2013 conclave as senior cardinal-bishop elector, was elected Vice-Dean in 2017 and Dean in January 2020 (adding Ostia). In October 2026 Pope Leo XIV accepted his resignation as Dean — he is now Dean Emeritus.
Major Works & Initiatives
Dean of the College of Cardinals
Six years presiding over the world's cardinals.
Prefect for Bishops
A decade vetting the Church's bishops.
The Pope's Sostituto
Eleven years as chief-of-staff to the Secretariat of State.
Controversies
On the record
No significant public controversies reported.