Marcello Bartolucci (born 9 April 1944) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has held the rank of archbishop since 2011 and was the Secretary of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 2010 to 2021. He held several other posts in that Congregation beginning in 1977.
Biography
Bartolucci was born in 1944 in Bastia Umbra in the
diocese of Assisi. He studied at the philosophy and theology and the regional seminary and was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
on 9 November 1968. He received his doctorate in theology and a Diploma in Pastoral Theology, specializing in catechesis from the
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University (; ), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. The university ...
and a
licentiate in
canon law
Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...
at the
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, ''Angelicum'' in Rome.
After ten years of pastoral experience, first as curate and then as parish priest, with a number of positions within the diocese, and also as a teacher of religion in
state schools in 1977, he joined the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in the service of the Office of the Judicial Ministry. Following the reform of the Congregation and the process in 1983, he collaborated with various superiors that have followed in the preparation of opinions on individual cases in the study of processes and practices in the Secretariat.
For over twenty years he was in charge of drafting the decrees on the virtues, martyrdom and miracles, both in Italian and Latin for publication on "Acta Apostolicae Sedis". He was also responsible for writing in the Italian Papal Bulls of
canonisation and Briefs Apostolic beatification. He served as Secretary of the Commission for the revision of the rite of beatification. He taught at the "Studium" of the congregation.
He was appointed Under-Secretary of Congregation on 14 July 2007 and served in that capacity until 29 December 2010 when Pope Benedict appointed him
Titular Archbishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of
Mevania and secretary of the Congregation. He was consecrated on 5 February 2011 by Pope Benedict. The co-consecrators were Cardinals
Angelo Sodano and
Tarcisio Bertone, SDB. He was confirmed in his position as secretary by
Pope Francis
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
on 19 December 2013.
He was succeeded as secretary by
Fabio Fabene on 18 January 2021.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bartolucci, Marcello
1944 births
Living people
People from Bastia Umbra
21st-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops
Members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Pontifical Lateran University alumni
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni
Officials of the Roman Curia
Bishops appointed by Pope Benedict XVI