Agostino Cardinal Casaroli
Encyclopedia
Agostino Casaroli was an Italian
Catholic
priest
and diplomat
for the Holy See
, who became Cardinal Secretary of State
. He was the most important figure behind the Vatican's efforts to deal with the persecution of the Church in the nations of the Soviet bloc after the Second Vatican Council
.
Cardinal Casaroli was portrayed by veteran character actor Ben Gazzara
in the 2005 miniseries
, Pope John Paul II.
(province of Piacenza
, Italy) to a family of humble roots. His father was a tailor
in Piacenza
. He was ordained priest in 1937.
In 1961 he began to work at the Secretariat of State
of the Vatican City under the orders of Pope John XXIII
. During the period following Vatican II, Casaroli gained a reputation as a highly skilled diplomat who was able to negotiate with regimes hostile to the Church. He headed the CSCE
conference in Finlandia Hall
, Helsinki
from 30 July to 1 August 1975. He was also blamed by Mehmet Ali Ağca
by giving the order for the assassination of Pope John Paul II.
Although not made a cardinal
with his close associate Giovanni Benelli in 1977, Casaroli was made a cardinal in John Paul II's first consistory in 1979, and at the same time he became Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, he was overshadowed by Joseph Ratzinger
within the context of intra-Church doctrinal struggles, but did valuable work in co-operating with Ronald Reagan
against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and against the USSR.
Although he was seen as less hardline than any other close associate of John Paul, Casaroli's skilful diplomacy was seen by Wojtyła as an irreplaceable asset in the struggle against the Soviet Union
. In 1985 he became Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian diocese
of Porto-Santa-Rufina
, and in 1990 he retired as Secretary of State, being succeeded by Angelo Sodano
. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
from 1993 until his 1998 death of cardiorespiratory disease.
In November 2010, Mehmet Ali Ağca
publicly asserted that Casaroli had been the man behind the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.
in 1964 and Yugoslavia
in 1966 was the first time the Vatican had opened itself in this way to Communist
regimes, which had killed a great many Catholics since coming to power. Although his 2000 memoirs revealed a man more hostile to Communism than most people (both inside and outside Catholicism) had believed, his remarkable diplomatic skill made this hostility appear non-existent.
Agostino Casaroli (24 November 1914 - 9 June 1998) was an Italian
Catholic
priest
and diplomat
for the Holy See
, who became Cardinal Secretary of State
. He was the most important figure behind the Vatican's efforts to deal with the persecution of the Church in the nations of the Soviet bloc after the Second Vatican Council
.
Cardinal Casaroli was portrayed by veteran character actor Ben Gazzara
in the 2005 miniseries
, Pope John Paul II.
(province of Piacenza
, Italy) to a family of humble roots. His father was a tailor
in Piacenza
. He was ordained priest in 1937.
In 1961 he began to work at the Secretariat of State
of the Vatican City under the orders of Pope John XXIII
. During the period following Vatican II, Casaroli gained a reputation as a highly skilled diplomat who was able to negotiate with regimes hostile to the Church. He headed the CSCE
conference in Finlandia Hall
, Helsinki
from 30 July to 1 August 1975. He was also blamed by Mehmet Ali Ağca
by giving the order for the assassination of Pope John Paul II.
Although not made a cardinal
with his close associate Giovanni Benelli in 1977, Casaroli was made a cardinal in John Paul II's first consistory in 1979, and at the same time he became Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, he was overshadowed by Joseph Ratzinger
within the context of intra-Church doctrinal struggles, but did valuable work in co-operating with Ronald Reagan
against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and against the USSR.
Although he was seen as less hardline than any other close associate of John Paul, Casaroli's skilful diplomacy was seen by Wojtyła as an irreplaceable asset in the struggle against the Soviet Union
. In 1985 he became Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian diocese
of Porto-Santa-Rufina
, and in 1990 he retired as Secretary of State, being succeeded by Angelo Sodano
. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
from 1993 until his 1998 death of cardiorespiratory disease.
In November 2010, Mehmet Ali Ağca
publicly asserted that Casaroli had been the man behind the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.
in 1964 and Yugoslavia
in 1966 was the first time the Vatican had opened itself in this way to Communist
regimes, which had killed a great many Catholics since coming to power. Although his 2000 memoirs revealed a man more hostile to Communism than most people (both inside and outside Catholicism) had believed, his remarkable diplomatic skill made this hostility appear non-existent.
Agostino Casaroli (24 November 1914 - 9 June 1998) was an Italian
Catholic
priest
and diplomat
for the Holy See
, who became Cardinal Secretary of State
. He was the most important figure behind the Vatican's efforts to deal with the persecution of the Church in the nations of the Soviet bloc after the Second Vatican Council
.
Cardinal Casaroli was portrayed by veteran character actor Ben Gazzara
in the 2005 miniseries
, Pope John Paul II.
(province of Piacenza
, Italy) to a family of humble roots. His father was a tailor
in Piacenza
. He was ordained priest in 1937.
In 1961 he began to work at the Secretariat of State
of the Vatican City under the orders of Pope John XXIII
. During the period following Vatican II, Casaroli gained a reputation as a highly skilled diplomat who was able to negotiate with regimes hostile to the Church. He headed the CSCE
conference in Finlandia Hall
, Helsinki
from 30 July to 1 August 1975. He was also blamed by Mehmet Ali Ağca
by giving the order for the assassination of Pope John Paul II.
Although not made a cardinal
with his close associate Giovanni Benelli in 1977, Casaroli was made a cardinal in John Paul II's first consistory in 1979, and at the same time he became Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, he was overshadowed by Joseph Ratzinger
within the context of intra-Church doctrinal struggles, but did valuable work in co-operating with Ronald Reagan
against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and against the USSR.
Although he was seen as less hardline than any other close associate of John Paul, Casaroli's skilful diplomacy was seen by Wojtyła as an irreplaceable asset in the struggle against the Soviet Union
. In 1985 he became Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian diocese
of Porto-Santa-Rufina
, and in 1990 he retired as Secretary of State, being succeeded by Angelo Sodano
. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
from 1993 until his 1998 death of cardiorespiratory disease.
In November 2010, Mehmet Ali Ağca
publicly asserted that Casaroli had been the man behind the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.
in 1964 and Yugoslavia
in 1966 was the first time the Vatican had opened itself in this way to Communist
regimes, which had killed a great many Catholics since coming to power. Although his 2000 memoirs revealed a man more hostile to Communism than most people (both inside and outside Catholicism) had believed, his remarkable diplomatic skill made this hostility appear non-existent.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
for the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, who became Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
. He was the most important figure behind the Vatican's efforts to deal with the persecution of the Church in the nations of the Soviet bloc after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
Cardinal Casaroli was portrayed by veteran character actor Ben Gazzara
Ben Gazzara
-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
in the 2005 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, Pope John Paul II.
Biography
Casaroli was born in Castel San GiovanniCastel San Giovanni
Castel San Giovanni is a town and comune in the province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.- History :...
(province of Piacenza
Province of Piacenza
The Province of Piacenza is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Piacenza.The province has 273,689 inhabitants . Its total area is 2,589 km². There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Piacenza...
, Italy) to a family of humble roots. His father was a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
in Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
. He was ordained priest in 1937.
In 1961 he began to work at the Secretariat of State
Secretariat of State (Vatican)
The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the government of the Roman Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and performs all the political and diplomatic functions of Vatican City and the Holy See...
of the Vatican City under the orders of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. During the period following Vatican II, Casaroli gained a reputation as a highly skilled diplomat who was able to negotiate with regimes hostile to the Church. He headed the CSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
conference in Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall is a concert hall with a congress wing in Helsinki, Finland, by Töölönlahti bay. The building was designed by Alvar Aalto. The work began in 1967 and was completed in 1971.-Design and building:...
, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
from 30 July to 1 August 1975. He was also blamed by Mehmet Ali Ağca
Mehmet Ali Agca
Mehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
by giving the order for the assassination of Pope John Paul II.
Although not made a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
with his close associate Giovanni Benelli in 1977, Casaroli was made a cardinal in John Paul II's first consistory in 1979, and at the same time he became Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, he was overshadowed by Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
within the context of intra-Church doctrinal struggles, but did valuable work in co-operating with Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and against the USSR.
Although he was seen as less hardline than any other close associate of John Paul, Casaroli's skilful diplomacy was seen by Wojtyła as an irreplaceable asset in the struggle against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In 1985 he became Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian diocese
Suburbicarian diocese
The seven suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic dioceses located in the vicinity of Rome, whose bishops form the highest-ranking order of Cardinals, the Cardinal Bishops....
of Porto-Santa-Rufina
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina
The Diocese of Porto and Santa-Rufina is a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy...
, and in 1990 he retired as Secretary of State, being succeeded by Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State, having held that post from 1990 to 2006, under both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI...
. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
from 1993 until his 1998 death of cardiorespiratory disease.
In November 2010, Mehmet Ali Ağca
Mehmet Ali Agca
Mehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
publicly asserted that Casaroli had been the man behind the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.
Relations with Communism
His signing of treaties with HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1964 and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1966 was the first time the Vatican had opened itself in this way to Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
regimes, which had killed a great many Catholics since coming to power. Although his 2000 memoirs revealed a man more hostile to Communism than most people (both inside and outside Catholicism) had believed, his remarkable diplomatic skill made this hostility appear non-existent.
Teilhard de Chardin
In 1981, on the 100th anniversary of Teilhard de Chardin's birth, speculation erupted about his possible rehabilitation. It was fueled by a letter published in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, by Cardinal Casaroli, who praised the "astonishing resonance of his research, as well as the brilliance of his personality and richness of his thinking." Casaroli asserted that Teilhard had anticipated John Paul II's call to "be not afraid," embracing "culture, civilization and progress."External links
Agostino Casaroli (24 November 1914 - 9 June 1998) was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
for the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, who became Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
. He was the most important figure behind the Vatican's efforts to deal with the persecution of the Church in the nations of the Soviet bloc after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
Cardinal Casaroli was portrayed by veteran character actor Ben Gazzara
Ben Gazzara
-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
in the 2005 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, Pope John Paul II.
Biography
Casaroli was born in Castel San GiovanniCastel San Giovanni
Castel San Giovanni is a town and comune in the province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.- History :...
(province of Piacenza
Province of Piacenza
The Province of Piacenza is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Piacenza.The province has 273,689 inhabitants . Its total area is 2,589 km². There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Piacenza...
, Italy) to a family of humble roots. His father was a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
in Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
. He was ordained priest in 1937.
In 1961 he began to work at the Secretariat of State
Secretariat of State (Vatican)
The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the government of the Roman Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and performs all the political and diplomatic functions of Vatican City and the Holy See...
of the Vatican City under the orders of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. During the period following Vatican II, Casaroli gained a reputation as a highly skilled diplomat who was able to negotiate with regimes hostile to the Church. He headed the CSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
conference in Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall is a concert hall with a congress wing in Helsinki, Finland, by Töölönlahti bay. The building was designed by Alvar Aalto. The work began in 1967 and was completed in 1971.-Design and building:...
, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
from 30 July to 1 August 1975. He was also blamed by Mehmet Ali Ağca
Mehmet Ali Agca
Mehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
by giving the order for the assassination of Pope John Paul II.
Although not made a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
with his close associate Giovanni Benelli in 1977, Casaroli was made a cardinal in John Paul II's first consistory in 1979, and at the same time he became Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, he was overshadowed by Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
within the context of intra-Church doctrinal struggles, but did valuable work in co-operating with Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and against the USSR.
Although he was seen as less hardline than any other close associate of John Paul, Casaroli's skilful diplomacy was seen by Wojtyła as an irreplaceable asset in the struggle against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In 1985 he became Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian diocese
Suburbicarian diocese
The seven suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic dioceses located in the vicinity of Rome, whose bishops form the highest-ranking order of Cardinals, the Cardinal Bishops....
of Porto-Santa-Rufina
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina
The Diocese of Porto and Santa-Rufina is a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy...
, and in 1990 he retired as Secretary of State, being succeeded by Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State, having held that post from 1990 to 2006, under both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI...
. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
from 1993 until his 1998 death of cardiorespiratory disease.
In November 2010, Mehmet Ali Ağca
Mehmet Ali Agca
Mehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
publicly asserted that Casaroli had been the man behind the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.
Relations with Communism
His signing of treaties with HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1964 and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1966 was the first time the Vatican had opened itself in this way to Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
regimes, which had killed a great many Catholics since coming to power. Although his 2000 memoirs revealed a man more hostile to Communism than most people (both inside and outside Catholicism) had believed, his remarkable diplomatic skill made this hostility appear non-existent.
Teilhard de Chardin
In 1981, on the 100th anniversary of Teilhard de Chardin's birth, speculation erupted about his possible rehabilitation. It was fueled by a letter published in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, by Cardinal Casaroli, who praised the "astonishing resonance of his research, as well as the brilliance of his personality and richness of his thinking." Casaroli asserted that Teilhard had anticipated John Paul II's call to "be not afraid," embracing "culture, civilization and progress."External links
Agostino Casaroli (24 November 1914 - 9 June 1998) was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
for the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, who became Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
. He was the most important figure behind the Vatican's efforts to deal with the persecution of the Church in the nations of the Soviet bloc after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
Cardinal Casaroli was portrayed by veteran character actor Ben Gazzara
Ben Gazzara
-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
in the 2005 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, Pope John Paul II.
Biography
Casaroli was born in Castel San GiovanniCastel San Giovanni
Castel San Giovanni is a town and comune in the province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.- History :...
(province of Piacenza
Province of Piacenza
The Province of Piacenza is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Piacenza.The province has 273,689 inhabitants . Its total area is 2,589 km². There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Piacenza...
, Italy) to a family of humble roots. His father was a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
in Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
. He was ordained priest in 1937.
In 1961 he began to work at the Secretariat of State
Secretariat of State (Vatican)
The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the government of the Roman Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and performs all the political and diplomatic functions of Vatican City and the Holy See...
of the Vatican City under the orders of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. During the period following Vatican II, Casaroli gained a reputation as a highly skilled diplomat who was able to negotiate with regimes hostile to the Church. He headed the CSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
conference in Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall is a concert hall with a congress wing in Helsinki, Finland, by Töölönlahti bay. The building was designed by Alvar Aalto. The work began in 1967 and was completed in 1971.-Design and building:...
, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
from 30 July to 1 August 1975. He was also blamed by Mehmet Ali Ağca
Mehmet Ali Agca
Mehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
by giving the order for the assassination of Pope John Paul II.
Although not made a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
with his close associate Giovanni Benelli in 1977, Casaroli was made a cardinal in John Paul II's first consistory in 1979, and at the same time he became Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, he was overshadowed by Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
within the context of intra-Church doctrinal struggles, but did valuable work in co-operating with Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and against the USSR.
Although he was seen as less hardline than any other close associate of John Paul, Casaroli's skilful diplomacy was seen by Wojtyła as an irreplaceable asset in the struggle against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In 1985 he became Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian diocese
Suburbicarian diocese
The seven suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic dioceses located in the vicinity of Rome, whose bishops form the highest-ranking order of Cardinals, the Cardinal Bishops....
of Porto-Santa-Rufina
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina
The Diocese of Porto and Santa-Rufina is a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy...
, and in 1990 he retired as Secretary of State, being succeeded by Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State, having held that post from 1990 to 2006, under both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI...
. He was Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
from 1993 until his 1998 death of cardiorespiratory disease.
In November 2010, Mehmet Ali Ağca
Mehmet Ali Agca
Mehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
publicly asserted that Casaroli had been the man behind the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.
Relations with Communism
His signing of treaties with HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1964 and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1966 was the first time the Vatican had opened itself in this way to Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
regimes, which had killed a great many Catholics since coming to power. Although his 2000 memoirs revealed a man more hostile to Communism than most people (both inside and outside Catholicism) had believed, his remarkable diplomatic skill made this hostility appear non-existent.