Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who turned 91 on January 30, will continue as dean of the College of Cardinals, despite having reached the end of his five-year term. The Holy See Press Office announced this extension on February 6, 2025, formalizing a decision taken on January 7.
This title, which is not necessarily given to the oldest cardinal, but to an experienced figure in the Roman Curia, corresponds to a form of presidency of the College of Cardinals. He should therefore play a central role in the general congregations preparing a possible future conclave.
One of John Paul II’s last men still active in Rome
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, was born on January 30, 1934, in northern Italy. He entered the seminary at the end of World War II, in 1945, and was ordained priest for the diocese of Brescia in 1957.
He has an exceptionally long record of active service in the institutions of the Holy See, spanning 62 years. It was in 1963 that he joined the papal diplomatic service, working at the Apostolic Nunciature in Panama, and then in Iran.
Re went on to become one of the key figures in John Paul II's pontificate, first as Assessor for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State from 1979 to 1987. He became the Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops from 1987 to 1989, in which capacity he received episcopal ordination.
Above all, he played an important role as Substitute for the Secretariat of State from 1989 to 2000. In layman's terms, this position is equivalent to that of the pope's Chief of Staff and Minister of the Interior. As such, he can be considered one of the last “John Paul II men” still active in the Roman Curia.
His roles as cardinal
From 2000 to 2010, he was Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, straddling the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. In this capacity, he received the dignity of cardinal from the Polish pontiff at the 2001 consistory, at the same time as Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, the future Pope Francis. At the 2013 conclave, Cardinal Re exercised the prerogatives of the dean, as neither the dean nor the vice-dean—Cardinals Angelo Sodano and Roger Etchegaray—were cardinal electors at the time.
Although he lost his prerogatives as cardinal elector on his 80th birthday on January 30, 2014, Cardinal Re remained an influential figure in the Curia. Becoming vice-dean on June 10, 2017 after Cardinal Etchegaray stepped down, he succeeded Cardinal Sodano as dean on January 18, 2020. Pope Francis had just introduced the five-year rule for the post of dean, which previously had no instituted limit.
The expiry of Cardinal Re's term had led some media to speculate that a younger figure might be appointed to succeed him, but the Pope preferred to keep in place this figure embodying continuity between pontificates.
The choice of stability
The 91-year-old Italian cardinal is still intellectually and physically active, and is still present at numerous conferences. Therefore, he’s able to continue occupying an important place at certain events, notably the funerals of cardinals resident in Rome, which he usually presides over. On January 5, 2023, he also presided over the Eucharistic Prayer at the altar during the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
He will also preside at the Pope's funeral if he dies in office. On April 8, 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger presided over the funeral of John Paul II as dean of the Sacred College, giving him a high profile in the run-up to the conclave which, 11 days later, would lead to his election as Pope under the name of Benedict XVI.
Above all, Cardinal Re could play a central role in the general congregations preceding any future conclave. For the conclave itself, however, the most senior of the cardinal-bishops still eligible to vote should assume the duties of the dean: to date, this is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See.
On January 14, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches, had his appointment as Vice-Dean of the Sacred College extended. Having reached the age of 80 on November 18, 2023, he will not take part in the next conclave.
On February 6, the Holy See Press Office announced that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, would become a member of the Order of Bishops within the College of Cardinals, receiving the title of the Suburbicarian Church of Albano.
