Ricardo Ezzati
Ricardo Ezzati Andrello SDB (Spanish pronunciation: [riˈkaɾðo eˈsatjanˈdɾelo], Italian: [etˈtsaːti anˈdrɛllo]; born 7 January 1942) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has lived and worked in Chile since the age of 17. He was Archbishop of Santiago from December 2010 to March 2019 and has been a cardinal since February 2014. He previously served as Archbishop of Concepción. He headed the Episcopal Conference of Chile from 2010 to 2016.
His Eminence
Ricardo Ezzati Andrello
Santiago de Chile
Santiago de Chile
15 December 2010
14 January 2011
23 March 2019
Cardinal-Priest of Santissimo Redentore a Valmelaina (2014–)
18 March 1970
by Emilio Tagle Covarrubias
8 September 1996
by Carlos Oviedo Cavada
22 February 2014
by Pope Francis
- Italian
- Chilean (2006–)
- Bishop of Valdivia (1996–2001)
- Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Chile (2001–06)
- Archbishop of Concepción (2006–10)
- President of the Chilean Episcopal Conference (2010–16)
Para Evangelizar
(To Evangelize)
18 March 1970
18 March 1970
Carlos Oviedo Cavada, O. de. M
8 September 1996
22 February 2014
12 December 2008
12 December 2008
10 May 2014
10 May 2014
17 January 2015
29 August 2015
Early life and education[edit]
Ricardo Ezzati was born in Campiglia dei Berici, Vicenza, Italy. He immigrated to Chile in 1959 to enter the novitiate of the Salesians in Quilpué, Valparaíso, and studied philosophy at the Catholic University of Valparaíso. He studied theology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, where he obtained his licentiate.[1]
He made his final vows as a Salesian on 30 December 1966 and was ordained as a priest of the Salesian order on 18 March 1970. After his ordination he received a Licentiate in Religious Studies at the Institut de Pastoral Catéchetique in Strasbourg. He then held the title of Professor of Religion and Philosophy at the Catholic University of Valparaíso.[1]
Priesthood[edit]
As a Salesian priest he held the following positions: Director for Youth Ministry in the Salesian School in Valdivia; Director of Community for the Salesians in Concepcion, Chile; Member of the Provincial Council of the Chilean Salesians; Director of the Salesian Seminary of Santiago de Chile; and Inspector Provincial of the Salesians in Chile.
He was a member of the Faculty of Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and Vice President of the Conference of Religious of Chile, participating in the General Chapters of the Salesian Congregation in 1984 and 1990.[1]
Resignation amid new lawsuit[edit]
A man filed a $500,000 lawsuit against Ezzati and the Archdiocese of Santiago claiming that in 2015 he had been raped in a bedroom attached to the cathedral and that Ezzati had bribed him to keep silent.[20] On 23 March 2019, Pope Francis accepted Ezzati's resignation, presented when he turned 75.[21]