Roman Catholic Cardinal. The son of a bookbinder, Giacomo Biffi was born in Milan and entered seminary there. Obtaining a licentiate and a doctorate in theology, he was ordained priest by Blessed Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster in his native city on December 23, 1950. Appointed to the teaching staff of the seminary of Milan, in 1960 he was named pastor of the populous parish of Ss. Martiri Anauniani of Legnano, a position he held until 1969 when he was transferred to the parish of Sant'Andrea. Appointed episcopal vicar for culture for the archdiocese of Milan in 1974, he was named canon theologian of the metropolitan chapter the following year, leaving thus his parochial ministry. Director of the Lombardian Pastoral Institute and of the Congregation for the Ambrosian Rite, at forty seven years of age he was elected auxiliary for the archdiocese of Milan by Pope Paul VI, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Fidene from Cardinal Giovanni Colombo in the parish of Sant'Andrea on January 11, 1976. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Bologna on April 19, 1984, Pope John Paul II created him cardinal in the consistory of May 25, 1985 with the title of Ss. Giovanni Evangelista e Petronio. A deeply conservative man, considered 'papabile' during the 2005 conclave such that he was voted by Joseph Ratzinger himself who ultimately was elected Pope Benedict XVI, Biffi retired from the pastoral government of his see on December 16, 2003. The author of various publications, the Cardinal passed away at the Villa Toniolo nursing home after a long recovery following the amputation of one of his legs, having spent his last years at Villa San Giacomo, Ponticella, Bologna.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. The son of a bookbinder, Giacomo Biffi was born in Milan and entered seminary there. Obtaining a licentiate and a doctorate in theology, he was ordained priest by Blessed Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster in his native city on December 23, 1950. Appointed to the teaching staff of the seminary of Milan, in 1960 he was named pastor of the populous parish of Ss. Martiri Anauniani of Legnano, a position he held until 1969 when he was transferred to the parish of Sant'Andrea. Appointed episcopal vicar for culture for the archdiocese of Milan in 1974, he was named canon theologian of the metropolitan chapter the following year, leaving thus his parochial ministry. Director of the Lombardian Pastoral Institute and of the Congregation for the Ambrosian Rite, at forty seven years of age he was elected auxiliary for the archdiocese of Milan by Pope Paul VI, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Fidene from Cardinal Giovanni Colombo in the parish of Sant'Andrea on January 11, 1976. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Bologna on April 19, 1984, Pope John Paul II created him cardinal in the consistory of May 25, 1985 with the title of Ss. Giovanni Evangelista e Petronio. A deeply conservative man, considered 'papabile' during the 2005 conclave such that he was voted by Joseph Ratzinger himself who ultimately was elected Pope Benedict XVI, Biffi retired from the pastoral government of his see on December 16, 2003. The author of various publications, the Cardinal passed away at the Villa Toniolo nursing home after a long recovery following the amputation of one of his legs, having spent his last years at Villa San Giacomo, Ponticella, Bologna.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
Inscription
GIACOMO BIFFI
13 GIUGNO 1928 ﹣ 11 LUGLIO 2015
CARDINALE
ARCIVESCOVO DI BOLOGNA
1984 ﹣ 2003
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