Cardinal Angelo Sodano

Cardinal Angelo Sodano
Name	Angelo Sodano
Honorific-prefix	His Eminence
Birth date	23 November 1927
Birth place	Isola d'Asti, Kingdom of Italy
Death date	27 May 2024
Death place	Rome, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Roman Catholic prelate, diplomat
Known for	Secretary of State of the Holy See, Dean of the College of Cardinals

Cardinal Angelo Sodano

Angelo Sodano was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Cardinal Secretary of State from 1991 to 2006 and as Dean of the College of Cardinals from 2005 to 2019. He was a prominent figure in Vatican diplomacy during the pontificates of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and the early years of Pope Francis, and played central roles in relations with states such as the United States, Russia, China, Israel, and Cuba.

Early life and education

Sodano was born in Isola d'Asti, Piedmont, in the Kingdom of Italy and grew up in a region shaped by the politics of Mussolini-era Italy and the later postwar republic. He studied at the Seminary of Asti and was ordained a priest in 1950, after formation that connected him to clerical networks in Turin, Milan, and the Diocese of Alba. He undertook advanced studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical Lateran University, affiliating with institutions linked to the Holy See and the Roman Curia.

Ecclesiastical career

After ordination, Sodano served in pastoral positions in the Diocese of Alba before entering the diplomatic service of the Holy See at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, where alumni include diplomats to the United Nations, France, Germany, and Spain. He was posted to the nunciatures and offices that dealt with countries such as Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, and Peru, and worked with Vatican envoys involved in bilateral accords like the Lateran Treaty’s ongoing implementations and concordats with states such as Portugal and Poland. Elevated to the episcopate, he served in roles that connected him to the Congregation for Bishops and the Secretariat of State’s diplomatic section, engaging with prelatures, apostolic nuncios, and national episcopal conferences including those of Brazil, Mexico, and Philippines.

Secretariat of State and Vatican diplomacy

As Cardinal Secretary of State, Sodano managed the Holy See’s relations with international organizations such as the United Nations, European Union, and Organization of American States. He presided over high-level contacts and negotiations with heads of state including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Vladimir Putin, Hu Jintao, Shimon Peres, and Fidel Castro. He was involved in sensitive diplomatic initiatives concerning the Middle East peace process, the Iran nuclear program discussions, and bilateral relations with China that touched on the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and episcopal appointments. His tenure encompassed contacts with the Soviet Union’s successor states, the reunification process involving Germany, and Vatican responses to crises such as the Rwandan Genocide, the wars in Yugoslavia, and humanitarian issues in Sudan and Darfur.

Cardinalate and roles in the Roman Curia

Created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II, Sodano held several key posts within the Roman Curia, presiding over meetings of the College of Cardinals and participating in multiple sessions including the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. As Dean of the College of Cardinals, he exercised responsibilities in canonical functions that intersected with the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis and ceremonial duties involving major basilicas such as St. Peter's Basilica and offices like the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Prefecture of the Papal Household. He convened consistories and influenced episcopal nominations, synods of bishops, and relations with dicasteries including the Congregation for Bishops, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Controversies and allegations

Sodano’s long tenure drew scrutiny and accusations, notably over the Vatican’s handling of clergy sexual abuse cases that implicated dioceses in United States jurisdictions such as Boston, Los Angeles, and Pennsylvania. Investigations and reports by media organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC News, and La Repubblica examined the role of the Secretariat of State and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in processing allegations. Allegations also concerned diplomatic decisions involving clergy transfers cited in legal actions in courts such as those in New York and Pennsylvania and in inquiries by civil prosecutors in Italy and elsewhere. He was criticized for actions related to figures such as Marcial Maciel and for perceived obstruction by some victims’ advocacy groups including Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and Snap.

Retirement and death

After resigning as Secretary of State and later as Dean of the College of Cardinals, Sodano held the title of Dean Emeritus and remained a figure in Vatican ceremonial life until his retirement. His later years included engagements with ecclesiastical institutions such as the Vatican Museums, Apostolic Palace, and religious orders including the Jesuits and Franciscans. He died in Rome in 2024, and his funeral rites involved officials from the Holy See, diplomats accredited to the Vatican, and representatives of episcopal conferences from regions including Europe, Latin America, and Africa.

Category:1927 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church Category:Italian cardinals Category:People from Piedmont