28 Facts About Francis Arinze

Francis Arinze was Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2002 to 2008 and before that led the Secretariat for Non-Christians from 1984 to 2002.

Francis Arinze has been a cardinal since 1985 and the Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni since 2005.

Francis Arinze was born in the tiny village of Eziowelle, Anambra, Nigeria, to a family of peasant farmers who practiced a local indigenous religion.

Francis Arinze followed a brother in converting to Catholicism and he was baptized on 1 November 1941, his ninth birthday, by Father Michael Tansi, who was beatified by John Paul II in 1998.

On 23 November 1958, at the chapel of the university, Francis Arinze was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian, pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.

From 1961 to 1962, Francis Arinze was professor of liturgy, logic, and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary in Enugu.

Francis Arinze was then appointed regional secretary for Catholic education for the eastern part of Nigeria.

Francis Arinze was then transferred to London, where he attended the Institute of Education and graduated in 1964.

Francis Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world when Heerey consecrated him on 29 August 1965, at the age of 32.

Francis Arinze attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in 1965.

Heerey died on 6 February 1967, and Pope Paul appointed Francis Arinze to succeed him as archbishop on 26 June 1967.

Francis Arinze was the first native African to head this archdiocese.

The Nigeria-Biafra War broke out just days after Francis Arinze was named archbishop.

Francis Arinze fled to Adazi and then Amichi until the war ended in 1970.

Francis Arinze spent these years aiding refugees and with the help of foreign missionaries supervised what one international relief worker called one of "the most effective and efficient distributions of relief materials" in history.

Francis Arinze kept the Church independent of the warring factions.

On 9 March 1985, Francis Arinze resigned from his post in Onitsha.

Two days after he became a cardinal, Francis Arinze was appointed president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, which was renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in 1988.

Francis Arinze served in various related capacities including as the president of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.

Francis Arinze received honours in this capacity: On 24 October 1999 he received a gold medallion from the International Council of Christians and Jews for his outstanding achievements in inter-faith relations.

Francis Arinze traveled extensively and became a popular speaker in the United States.

Francis Arinze was a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

Francis Arinze was considered papabile, that is, a candidate for election to the papacy, at the papal conclave that followed, in which he was a cardinal elector.

Francis Arinze returned to his post as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship when confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI on 21 April 2005, and on 25 April Benedict XVI named him Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni, a post which Benedict himself had held until his election as Pope.

Francis Arinze remains active and in 2009 gave the commencement address at the Augustine Institute in Denver.

Francis Arinze has produced over 1,700 television programs with the Apostolate for Family Consecration.

Francis Arinze is the author of several books, along with a complete "Consecration and Truth Catechetical Program" for children and adults.

Francis Arinze has received honorary degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1986, the Catholic University of America in 1998, Wake Forest University in 1999, the Catholic University of Manila in 2001, Notre Dame University in 2003, the University of St Mary of the Lake in 2003, and Seton Hall University in 2005.