Mourning in the Church, Cardinal Paolo Romeo, archbishop emeritus of Palermo, has died

Cardinal Paolo Romeo has died. "The Diocese of Acireale announces the passing away, at the age of 88, of His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Paolo Romeo, Archbishop emeritus of Palermo and son of the Acireale Church, which occurred on Sunday 25 October 2026 at the 'San Marco' hospital in Catania", we read in a note. "The funeral chapel will be set up on Tuesday 27 October at 9.30 am in the Cathedral Basilica of Acireale, where a prayer vigil will be held at 8.00 pm. The funeral will be celebrated on Wednesday 28 October, at 11 am, in the Cathedral Basilica of Acireale".

From Sicily to Burundi

An important figure in the Italian Catholic Church, Cardinal Romeo went through a season of great changes and pastoral challenges. Born in Acireale on 20 February 1938, he was ordained a priest on 18 March 1961. He soon began diplomatic service at the Holy See and worked in various pontifical representations around the world. After having served in the pontifical representations in the Philippines, Belgium and Luxembourg, in the European communities, in Venezuela, in Rwanda and in Burundi, on 17 December 1983 he was appointed apostolic nuncio to Haiti, receiving episcopal ordination from Saint John Paul II on 6 January 1984. He subsequently held the office of apostolic nuncio in Colombia since 1990, in Canada since 1999 and in Italy and in the Republic of San Marino since 2001. On 19 December 2006 Benedict XVI appointed him metropolitan archbishop of Palermo, a position he held until 2015. Created cardinal on 20 November 2010, he was president of the Sicilian Episcopal Conference and apostolic administrator of the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi. Finally, he was a member of the conclave that elected Pope Francis to the throne of Peter.