Cardinal Antonelli turns 80, becoming ineligible to vote in next conclave
November 18, 2016
Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, the retired president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, celebrates his 80th birthday today, and thus becomes ineligible to participate in a papal election.
A native of Todi, Italy, the future cardinal was ordained to the priesthood in that diocese, and named Bishop of Gubbio in 1982. In 1988 he became Archbishop of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, and in 2001 was named Archbishop of Florence. He was appointed by Pope Benedict to become president of the Pontifical Council for the Family in 2008, retiring from that post in 2012 at the age of 75. He was raised to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict in October 2003.
There are now 211 living cardinals, of whom 108 are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to participate in a papal conclave. Those numbers will jump to 228 and 121, respectively, tomorrow when Pope Francis elevates 17 new cardinals (including 13 cardinal-electors) at a consistory.
Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr, the retired Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal, will turn 80 on November 28, bringing the number of cardinal-electors back down to 120.
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Further information:
- Cardinal Ennio Antonelli celebrates his 80th birthday, leaving 108 electing cardinals (Rome Reports)
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