Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone was born in Romano Canavese, Piedmont, on 2 December 1934. A Salesian (professed 1950), he was ordained a priest on 1 July 1960 and spent two decades at the Pontifical Salesian University — dean of canon law, vice-rector, then rector (1989–91). Appointed Archbishop of Vercelli in July 1991 (consecrated 1 August by Albino Mensa), he served from 1995 to 2002 as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Ratzinger, then as Archbishop of Genoa from December 2002. John Paul II created him a cardinal on 21 October 2003, with the title of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana (promoted to Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati in 2008).
Benedict XVI made him Secretary of State in September 2006 — he had no diplomatic background, and the complaints began early. He published the third secret of Fatima in 2000 and broke the Church's silence on The Da Vinci Code as Genoa's archbishop. From 2007 to 2014 he was Camerlengo, acting head of the Holy See during the 2013 sede vacante. He resigned as Secretary of State in October 2013. His motto is Fidem custodire, concordiam servare — “protect faith, preserve unity.”
Consequential Quotes
We would not be honest, Your Holiness, if we said that this evening there is not a hint of sadness in our hearts. In recent years, your teaching has been a window open onto the Church and the world, which let in the rays of truth and love of God, to enlighten and warm our journey.
Many journalists play at imitating Dan Brown. They continue to invent fables or repeat legends.
Major Works & Initiatives
Secretary of State
Seven years as Benedict XVI's number two.
Camerlengo
Acting head of the Holy See during the 2013 sede vacante.
The third secret of Fatima
John Paul II entrusted him with its publication.
Controversies
Vatileaks and the “penthouse” (2012–2017)
Leaked documents showed Bertone reproved Vatican governorate secretary Carlo Maria Viganò for reporting nepotism and mismanagement; Viganò was then posted to Washington. Between 2013 and 2014 Bertone combined two apartments into one residence, reportedly 600 square metres with a roof terrace — he said it was half that size and renovated at his own expense. In 2017 the Vatican tribunal tried the Bambino Gesù Hospital's former managers for using €422,000 of the hospital foundation's money toward the renovation; no charges were filed against Bertone.
The unenforced McCarrick restrictions
Restrictions that Bertone and other Vatican officials placed on Theodore McCarrick after abuse allegations surfaced went unenforced; a 2019-published letter showed McCarrick wrote to Bertone in September 2008 admitting he had slept with adult seminarians while denying sexual relations.