Raffaele Farina

Early life

Born in Buonalbergo, Farina entered the Salesians of Don Bosco, more commonly known as the Salesians, at the novitiate of Portici Bellavista at the age of sixteen. He professed his simple (temporary) vows on 25 September 1949, and made his perpetual vows on 25 September 1954; one of his sisters is also a Salesian. Farina began his studies in theology at the Pontifical Salesian Athenaeum of Turin in 1954 as well, obtaining his licentiate in theology from the Athenaeum in 1958. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Michele Alberto Arduino SDB, on 1 July 1958.

Farina later studied ecclesiastical history at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and received his doctorate in 1965. For the following three years, he worked on his specialization at the German Foundation "Humboldt" in Freiburg and Bonn. From 1968 to 1972, he was professor of the history of the Church (covering the origin to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD) and of Methodology in the Theological Faculty of the Pontifical Salesian University; he then served as dean of the same faculty until 1974, and was rector of the university for two terms (1977–1983, 1992–1997). Farina was named regolatore of the XXI general chapter of his congregation in 1978.

Curial appointments

From 1982 to 1986, he was Secretary of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, and was made Undersecretary of Pontifical Council for Culture within the Roman Curia in 1986. Named Prefect of the Vatican Library by Pope John Paul II on 25 May 1997, he was the second-highest official in that office, successively under Cardinals Luigi Poggi and Jean-Louis Tauran.

On 15 November 2006, Farina was appointed Titular Bishop of Opitergium by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 16 December from three cardinals, fellow Salesian Tarcisio Bertone as principal consecrator, with James Stafford and Jean-Louis Tauran as co-consecrators, in St. Peter's Basilica. Farina was later named Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives and Librarian of the Vatican Library on 25 June 2007, replacing Cardinal Tauran, who was made President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. On the same date he was given the rank of Archbishop.

Pope Benedict created him Cardinal-Deacon of San Giovanni della Pigna in the consistory of 24 November of that same year. Cardinal Farina lost his eligibility to participate in any future papal conclaves when he reached the age of eighty on 24 September 2013.

On 12 June 2008 in addition to his main duties he was appointed by Benedict as a member of congregations in the Roman Curia [1]. These are: the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.

On 9 June 2012 he retired from posts of Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives and Librarian of the Vatican Library.

Cardinal Farina currently sits on the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and is also fluent in German, Spanish, Japanese, and French.

In August 2010 Farina said that Pope John Paul II declined then-Cardinal Ratzinger's request to spend his last years as the archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church. Farina recalled when he was appointed prefect of the Vatican Library in May 1997 having a brief meeting with Ratzinger in which he was asked his opinion of Ratzinger joining the team. Ratzinger asked the Pope if he could step down from his role when he turned 70 on 16 April 1997. "He was asking me what I thought of his idea and what being archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church involved", said Farina.

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

In June 2013 Pope Francis by chirograph named Cardinal Farina president of the five member Pontifical Commission investigating the Institute for the Works of Religion. The other members are, Cardinal Tauran, Peter Brian Wells, Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru who will act as Coordinator and Mary Ann Glendon.