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Pierbattista Pizzaballa

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His Beatitude and Eminence

Pierbattista Pizzaballa

OFM
Cardinal
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
Pizzaballa on the day he became a cardinal in 2023
ChurchCatholic Church
ArchdioceseJerusalem
SeeJerusalem
Appointed24 October 2020
Installed6 November 2020
PredecessorFouad Twal
Other post(s)Grand Prior of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Onofrio (2023–)
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination15 September 1990
by Giacomo Biffi
Consecration10 September 2016
by Leonardo Sandri
Created cardinal30 September 2023
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal Priest
Personal details
Born (1965-04-21) 21 April 1965 (age 59)
Cologno al Serio, Italy
MottoSufficit tibi gratia mea
('My grace is sufficient for you')
SignaturePierbattista Pizzaballa's signature
Coat of armsPierbattista Pizzaballa's coat of arms
Styles of
Pierbattista Pizzaballa
Reference styleHis Beatitude and Eminence
Spoken styleYour Beatitude and Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

Pierbattista Pizzaballa OFM (born 21 April 1965) is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since 6 November 2020.[1] A Franciscan friar, he served as Custos of the Holy Land from 2004 to 2016 and as Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate from 2016 to 2020. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023.

Biography

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Pierbattista Pizzaballa was born in Cologno al Serio, Bergamo, son of Pietro and Maria Maddalena Tadini.[2] He entered the Franciscan minor seminary in Bologna in September 1976 and on 5 September 1984 entered their novitiate in La Verna. He made his first vows there on 7 September 1985 and his perpetual vows in Bologna on 4 October 1989. He earned his bachelor's degree in theology at the Pontifical University Antonianum and was ordained a priest on 15 September 1990, in the Cathedral of Bologna by Cardinal Giacomo Biffi.[3]

He obtained his diploma in classical studies at the Archiepiscopal Seminary of Ferrara.[4] He studied in Biblical Theology at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem in 1993 and then taught biblical Hebrew at the Franciscan Faculty of Biblical Science and Archeology in Jerusalem.[3]

Besides his native Italian, Pizzaballa speaks Hebrew and English.[4][5]

Presbyterate

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After completing his postgraduate studies, Pizzaballa taught Biblical Hebrew at the Franciscan Faculty of Biblical and archaeological sciences in Jerusalem, was responsible for the publication of the Roman Missal in Hebrew in 1995, and translated liturgical texts in Hebrew.[4]

He joined the Franciscans working at the Custody of the Holy Land in July 1999 and was responsible for the pastoral care of Hebrew-speaking Catholics. On 9 May 2001, he was appointed Superior of the Convent of Saints Simeon and Anna in Jerusalem.[3] From 2005 to 2008 he served as Patriarchal Vicar.[3]

He was Custos of the Holy Land, that is, head of the Franciscan priory known as the Custody of the Holy Land, from May 2004 to April 2016, having been elected to a six-year term in May 2004, re-elected to a three-year term in March 2010, and reconfirmed for another three-year term in 2013.[3]

In 2008 he was appointed a Consultor in the commission for relations with Judaism of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.[6]

In June 2014 Pope Francis entrusted Pizzaballa with organizing the peace prayer in the Vatican gardens, which brought together Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.[5]

Pizzaballa criticized Israel's construction of a barrier between the West Bank and Jerusalem and participated in protests against it in 2015. He also, before becoming a bishop, criticized Palestinian leaders for blaming all problems on the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.[5]

Episcopate

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On 24 June 2016, Pope Francis nominated Pizzaballa as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and appointed him titular archbishop of Verbe.[3] On 10 September 2016 he was consecrated by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Archbishop Fouad Twal, and Bishop Francesco Beschi in the Bergamo Cathedral.[7] The appointment of an Italian broke with tradition, as such posts are normally assigned to members of the ethnic group they predominantly serve, such as his immediate predecessors (a Palestinian and Jordanian respectively).[5]

In 2016, Pizzaballa joined the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and became its Pro Grand Prior, and then Grand Prior upon appointment as Latin Patriarch.[8][9] On 31 May 2017 he was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.[10]

On 24 October 2020, Pizzaballa was appointed Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem by Pope Francis.[11] He leads the Board of Directors of Caritas Jerusalem.[12]

Cardinal

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On 9 July 2023, Pope Francis announced he planned to create him a cardinal at a consistory scheduled for 30 September 2023.[13] At that consistory, he was made cardinal priest of Sant'Onofrio, the official church of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.[14]

On 16 October 2023, he condemned Hamas' actions as barbaric and offered himself as a hostage in exchange for captive Israeli children held in Gaza during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.[15][16]

Pizzaballa has advocated for an end to the 2023 Israel–Hamas War and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.[17] Pizzaballa was a signatory to the "Statement on the Escalating Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza" which condemned attacks on civilians, called for de-escalation and called for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. His statement was criticized by Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen.[18]

On his visit to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve 2023, Pizzaballa donned a Palestinian keffiyeh and expressed a desire for peace in the region.[19] He cosigned the Christmas message released by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem advocating Christians to refrain from public celebration of the holiday in solidarity with those affected by the war.[20]

Honors and recognition

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Patriarch Pizzaballa takes possession of See of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem". Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Patriarch Twal hands over powers to Apostolic Administrator Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa". en.abouna.org. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Rinunce e nomine, 24.06.2016" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "The Very Rev. Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa OFM". Custody of the Holy Land. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Allen Jr., John L. (22 September 2016). "Pope's potential masterstroke takes charge in the Holy Land". Crux. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 26.04.2008" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  7. ^ Bernadelli, Giorgio (11 September 2016). "Pizzaballa: 'May Jerusalem's peace be everyone's'". La Stampa. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  8. ^ "The Grand Magisterium of the Order - Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  9. ^ "The Grand Magisterium's autumn meeting" (PDF). Newsletter of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. 44, Fall 2016: 12.
  10. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 31.05.2017" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Pope appoints Archbishop Pizzaballa Patriarch of Jerusalem". Vatican News. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  12. ^ "The Catholic Church Of The Holy Land » Caritas Jerusalem". The Catholic Church of the Holy Land. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Le parole del Papa alla recita dell'Angelus, 09.07.2023" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Assignation of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals, 30.09.2023" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 30 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  15. ^ Giangrave, Claire (16 October 2023). "Vatican seeks to defuse tensions with Israel as it offers mediation in the Holy Land". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  16. ^ Pullella, Philip (16 October 2023). "Jerusalem Catholic Patriarch offers to be exchanged for Gaza hostages". Reuters. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Pizzaballa in Bethlehem: May Christ be born anew in this land! - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  18. ^ Rocca, Francis X. (18 October 2023). "Israel Protests Pope Francis' Statement on Gaza". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  19. ^ Pizzaballa, Pietro (25 December 2023). "Homily For The Midnight Mass - Christmas 2023". Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  20. ^ "In times of darkness, faith is all you have, says Cardinal Pizzaballa". Detroit Catholic. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Il Gran Magistero dell'Ordine Equestre del Santo Sepolcro di Gerusalemme". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  22. ^ "The Order of Malta receives the Reverend Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land". Order of Malta. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  23. ^ "Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana". Segretariato generale della Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  24. ^ "HIS BEATITUDE THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM DECORATES THE FRANCISCAN CUSTOS OF THE HOLY LAND". Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Giovanni Battistelli
 Custode of the Holy Land
2004–2016 		Succeeded by
Francesco Patton
Preceded byas Bishop of Verbe — TITULAR —
Archbishop of Verbe
2016-2020 		Succeeded byas Bishop of Verbe
Vacant
Title last held by
Fouad Twal 		Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
2020– 		Incumbent
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