Ersilio Tonini
Encyclopedia
Ersilio Tonini is an Italian
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Ravenna-Cervia
from 1975 to 1990, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1994. When on 30 April 2010 Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer died, Cardinal Tonini became the oldest living cardinal. He is 97.
, and studied at the seminary
in Piacenza
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on 18 April 1937, and then served as vice-rector
of the Piacenza seminary until 1939. Tonini furthered his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University
in Rome
, obtaining his degrees in civil and canon law, from 1939 to 1943.
From 1943 to 1969, he did pastoral
work in the Diocese of Piacenza and for many years he was the pastor of parish of Salsomaggiore
, as well as serving as ecclesiastical assistant
of the Federation of Catholic Italian University Students, director
of the weekly Il nuovo giornale, and professor
and rector at its seminary. He was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain supernumerary
on 6 November 1959.
On 28 April 1969, Tonini was appointed Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino
by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following 2 June from Archbishop Umberto Malchiodi, with Archbishop Agostino Casaroli and Bishop Carlo Colombo serving as co-consecrators
. Tonini was later named both Archbishop of Ravenna
and Bishop of Cervia
on 22 November 1975. The two diocese
s were united as the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia
on 20 September 1986.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned the governance of his see on 27 October 1990, following fourteen years of service. Tonini preached the Lent
en spiritual exercises
to the Pope
and members of the Roman Curia
in February 1991 on the theme of "the Church of hope for today".
Pope John Paul II
created him Cardinal-Priest
of Santissimo Redentore a Valmelaina in the consistory
of 26 November 1994. As he was then already over 80, Tonini has never been eligible to participate in a papal conclave
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Archbishop of Ravenna-Cervia
Bishop of Ravenna
This page is a list of Roman Catholic bishops and archbishops of Ravenna, and of the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia. The earlier ones were frequently tied to the Exarchate of Ravenna. -Diocese of Ravenna :*St. Apollinare, legendarily to 79, historically in the era of Septimius Severus*St...
from 1975 to 1990, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1994. When on 30 April 2010 Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer died, Cardinal Tonini became the oldest living cardinal. He is 97.
Biography
Ersilio Tonini was born in San Giorgio PiacentinoSan Giorgio Piacentino
San Giorgio Piacentino is a comune in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 140 km northwest of Bologna and about 11 km south of Piacenza...
, and studied at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 18 April 1937, and then served as vice-rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Piacenza seminary until 1939. Tonini furthered his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, obtaining his degrees in civil and canon law, from 1939 to 1943.
From 1943 to 1969, he did pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work in the Diocese of Piacenza and for many years he was the pastor of parish of Salsomaggiore
Salsomaggiore Terme
Salsomaggiore Terme is a town and comune in northern Italy. It is located in the province of Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region, located at the foot of the Apennines. It is a popular Spa town. The water is strongly saline....
, as well as serving as ecclesiastical assistant
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the Federation of Catholic Italian University Students, director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the weekly Il nuovo giornale, and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and rector at its seminary. He was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain supernumerary
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
on 6 November 1959.
On 28 April 1969, Tonini was appointed Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino
Diocese of Macerata-Tolentino
The Diocese of Macerata-Tolentino was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy founded in 1586 from a merger of the Diocese of Macerata and the Diocese of Tolentino. In 1986 it became the Diocese of Macerata-Tolentino-Recanati-Cingoli-Treia-External links:* *...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following 2 June from Archbishop Umberto Malchiodi, with Archbishop Agostino Casaroli and Bishop Carlo Colombo serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Tonini was later named both Archbishop of Ravenna
Bishop of Ravenna
This page is a list of Roman Catholic bishops and archbishops of Ravenna, and of the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia. The earlier ones were frequently tied to the Exarchate of Ravenna. -Diocese of Ravenna :*St. Apollinare, legendarily to 79, historically in the era of Septimius Severus*St...
and Bishop of Cervia
Diocese of Cervia
The diocese of Cervia was a Roman Catholic diocese in Emilia-Romagna.In 1947 it merged with the archdiocese of Ravenna to form the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia.-External links:*...
on 22 November 1975. The two diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s were united as the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia
The Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The cathedral of the archdiocese is the Cathedral Basilica of the Resurrection of Our Lord in Ravenna; the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Cervia is the co-cathedral of...
on 20 September 1986.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned the governance of his see on 27 October 1990, following fourteen years of service. Tonini preached the Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
en spiritual exercises
Spiritual practice
A spiritual practice or spiritual discipline is the regular or full-time performance of actions and activities undertaken for the purpose of cultivating spiritual development. A common metaphor used in the spiritual traditions of the worlds great religions is that of walking a path...
to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and members of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
in February 1991 on the theme of "the Church of hope for today".
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
created him Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Santissimo Redentore a Valmelaina in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of 26 November 1994. As he was then already over 80, Tonini has never been eligible to participate in a papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
.