Pietro Parolin is a cardinal who has been holding the role of Secretary of State of the Holy Seeis seventy years old, and is originally from the province of Vicenza. Has one behind brilliant diplomatic career: official in the apostolic nunciatures of Nigeria and Mexico, active at the Secretariat of State in Rome, apostolic nuncio in Venezuela. In 2013 Pope Francis chose him as a new secretary of state. Today Parolin is considered papable in view of the conclave of 7 May, to whom the Italian Cardinal has given up on the other hand Angelo Becciuby virtue of diplomatic abilities and political positions, which could constitute a meeting point between progressive and conservative cardinals.
Cardinal Parolin’s family and studies
Pietro Parolin was born in Schiavonin the province of Vicenza, on January 17, 1955. He is the son of a hardware trader and an elementary teacher, he has a sister, Maria Rosa, a teacher profession, and a brother, Giovanni, who is today a magistrate.
Parolin had one very early vocation And already in 1969, at just fourteen, he entered Vicenza’s seminary. In 1980 it was ordained priest and three years later he signed up for the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academythe institution that forms Vatican diplomats, intentionless, in agreement with his superiors, to embark on this career.
Parolin’s diplomatic career
In 1986, after graduating in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Parolin entered the service diplomat of the Holy See. Since 1986 he has served at the Apostolic Nunciature (a sort of embassy) in Nigeriaplaying a role similar to that of the diplomatic officials of the States; From 1989 to 1992 he worked at the Nunciature in Mexicoparticipating in the negotiations for the start of diplomatic relations between the Latin American country and the Holy See.
Back in Rome in 1992, Parolin lent service at the Secretariat of Statecollaborating with the cardinals Angelo Sodano and Tarcisio Bertone, secretaries respectively from 1990 to 2006 and from 2006 to 2013. As an official of the secretariat, Parolin has dealt with various issuesamong which i Relations of the Church with Chinaa country where two ecclesiastical hierarchies existed until a few years ago: a recognized by the state and a faithful to the Pope, but clandestine and not recognized by the civil authorities.
In 2009 Parolin was appointed apostolic nuncio in Venezuela, Country with which the relationships of the Holy See were rather tense, and consecrated bishop.
The appointment to Secretary of State
Parolin served in Caracas until 2013, when Pope Francis, shortly after being elected, called him to Rome as a new secretary of state, to replace Bertone (since the secretary of state ceases to be when the pontificate of the Pope who appointed him has ended). The following year Francesco named him cardinal and member of the Council of Cardinalsan organism that assisted the Pope in the curia reform.
For Francesco, Parolin was a secretary of state of great utility: the most important result he obtained was The provisional agreement with China on the appointment of bishopssigned in 2018 and since then renewed twice (it will be in force until 2028). The agreement provides that the appointments of the bishops of the Chinese dioceses must be approved by the civil authority, but that theLast word is up to the Pope. In this way it is overcomealbeit provisionally and in a non -complete way, The split of Chinese Catholicism.
Parolin has also dealt with many other issues, offering its mediation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Among the various initiatives, in 2022 it is Come to Kiev As a representative of Francesco and in 2024 he participated in a videoconference with the human rights commissioner of the Russian Federation to obtain the liberation of two Ukrainian priests.
Because Parolin is considered eligible
Parolin is considered a possible meeting point between progressive and conservative cardinals. Expressed positions of relative opening About the Church reformsnot excluding that the provisions on the celibacy of priests can be changed and admitting that ecclesiastical management in the future will be able to rely on more democratic mechanisms. Did not take on one explicit position on homosexuality and on the declaration Conference confidence of 2023, with which the Holy See has “opened” to the possibility of blessing the people who are part of homosexual couples. The cardinal has in fact declared that the Church does not refuse the change a priori, but that it must always be faithful to the dictation of the Gospel. Has instead Euthanasia condemned in no uncertain terms.
The “intermediate” political positions mean that Parolin is one of the eligible cardinals: the prelate, moreover, is a “man of Francis”, who called him to the secretariat of state, and in the Vatican he enjoys great prestige, also because his own diplomatic skills They can be very useful in a historical phase characterized by numerous conflicts.
According to journalistic rumors, Parolin will enter conclave with a “Package” of 40 safe votes: they are not enough to become pope, but very numerous to start the negotiations. If it were elected, it would be the fourth secretary of state to ascend to the papal throne: the last was Eugenio Pacelli, who became Pius XII in 1939.
