Jean Zerbo was born in Ségou, Mali, on 27 December 1943, and ordained a priest on 10 July 1971. After Lyon he studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome (1977–1981), taking a licentiate in Scripture, then taught at Bamako's major seminary and served at Markala. In 1988 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Bamako, in 1994 Bishop of Mopti, and in 1998 Archbishop of Bamako — shepherd of Catholics in a majority-Muslim country, later a country at war.
Pope Francis created him a cardinal on 28 June 2017, with the title of Sant'Antonio da Padova in Via Tuscolana: the first cardinal from Mali, already called the “cardinal of peace” for his mediation between Mali's military rulers and opposition in 2012 and his Christian-Muslim dialogue. He retired on 25 July 2024.
Consequential Quotes
A test comparable to that of the early disciples.
Major Works & Initiatives
Archbishop of Bamako
Twenty-six years leading Mali's capital archdiocese.
Mediator in Mali's crisis
Helped negotiate between the junta and opposition after the coup.
Christian-Muslim dialogue
Built relations in a country under jihadist pressure.
Controversies
The Swiss Leaks report (2017)
Weeks before his creation as cardinal, Le Monde reported that Zerbo and other Malian prelates held secret Swiss bank accounts, based on the Swiss Leaks documents. Mali's bishops' conference called the accounts transparent, managed by an inter-diocesan commission since 1988; La Stampa reported that a Vatican inquiry cleared Zerbo before the consistory.