10 Facts About Guido Marini

Guido Marini was born on 31 January 1965 and is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as the bishop of Tortona in northern Italy.

Guido Marini was born in Genoa on 31 January 1965 and studied at the Liceo Colombo.

Guido Marini then earned a degree in both canon and civil law from the Pontifical Lateran University with a dissertation on problems of church-state relations in the early 20th century.

Guido Marini held the following positions in Genoa: secretary to the archbishop of Genoa from 1988 to 2003; master of liturgical celebrations from 2003 to 2007; member of the archdiocesan Council of Priests from 1996 to 2001; spiritual director of the seminary in Genoa from 2004 to 2007; and Chancellor of the Archdiocese from 2005 to 2007.

Guido Marini earned a degree in the psychology of communication in 2007 from the Salesian Pontifical University.

Guido Marini was named Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies on 1 October 2007, appointed to another five-year term by Benedict XVI, confirmed in that office by Pope Francis in April 2014, and appointed to another five-year term in 2017.

Guido Marini made decisions about the use of vestments at Mass and other pontifical celebrations, dressing cardinal deacons in dalmatics when serving at pontifical celebrations.

Guido Marini was Master of Ceremonies in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

On 11 March 2013, the day before the conclave, at a ceremony presided over by the Camerlengo Tarcisio Bertone, Guido Marini led the non-cardinal officials, support staff and other non-elector personnel with duties in the conclave in taking an oath of secrecy pertaining to the conclave.

The next day, after the cardinal-electors had taken their oath in the Sistine Chapel, Guido Marini called out the command "Extra omnes" and closed the chapel doors once all outsiders had left the chapel.