Francesco Minerva was an Italian clergyman; at his death he was the second-oldest living bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 in 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...

, after Corrado Bafile. He was also one of its longest-serving priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

s, having been 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....

 on April 16, 1927.

Biography

Minerva was born at Canosa di Puglia. He graduated in theology at the Pontifical Lateran University and, later, in law at the University of Bari

University of Bari

The University of Bari is a university located in Bari, Italy. It was founded in 1925 and is organized in 12 Faculties.-Organization:These are the 13 faculties in which the university is divided into:* Faculty of Agricultural Science...

.
Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII

The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....

 named Minerva bishop of Nardò in 1948, and in 1950 transferred him to the somewhat larger diocese of Lecce. While his successor in Nardò

Nardò

Nardò is a town and comune of 31,185 inhabitants and comune in the southern Italian region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce.-History:...

, Corrado Ursi

Corrado Ursi

Corrado Ursi was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Naples from 1966 to 1987, and was created a cardinal in 1967, given the titular church of San Callisto.-Biography:...

, went on to become Archbishop of Naples and a 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...

, Minerva continued in Lecce, which was elevated to an archdiocese in 1980, and retired in 1981.

He died at Canosa di Puglia in 2004. He is buried in the Cathedral of San Sabino in that city.