Cardinal Biffi dead at 87

July 13, 2015

Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, who served as Archbishop of Bologna from 1984 to 2003, died on July 11 at the age of 87.

Born in Milan in 1928, Cardinal Biffi was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Milan in 1950. Prior to his appointment to Bologna, Cardinal Biffi served as a Milan auxiliary bishop from 1976 to 1984.

Created a cardinal in the consistory of 1985, Cardinal Biffi took part in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Two years later, he was invited to preach the Lenten retreat to the Roman Curia. During his years in Bologna he was known for his pithy statements on public issues, which often drew newspaper headlines and occasionally roused controversy.

In a telegram of condolence, Pope Francis said that Cardinal Biffi “served the Gospel with joy and wisdom and loved the Church with tenacity.”

With the death of Cardinal Biffi, there are now 221 members of the College of Cardinals, of whom 120 are eligible to take part in a papal election.

 

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Further information:

• Telegramma di cordoglio del Santo Padre per la morte del Cardinal Giacomo Biffi (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope Francis: condolences on death of Italian Cardinal Biffi (Vatican Radio)
• Pacifists, Ecologists and Ecumenists: Antichrist at Work (In Depth Analysis, 3/5/07)