14 Facts About Gustavo Testa

Gustavo Testa was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, who was made a cardinal in 1959.

Gustavo Testa entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1920 and held several appointments as papal nuncio from 1934 to 1959.

Gustavo Testa headed the Congregation for the Oriental Churches from 1962 to 1968.

Gustavo Testa was ordained to the priesthood on 28 October 1910, and finished his studies in 1912.

Gustavo Testa then served as secretary of the nunciature to Austria until 1923.

Gustavo Testa was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness on 28 October 1921, and later Domestic Prelate of His Holiness on 18 May 1923.

Gustavo Testa was named auditor for the Bavarian nuniciature in 1927 before becoming counselor of the nunciature to Italy in 1929.

On 4 June 1934, Gustavo Testa was appointed Titular Archbishop of Amasea and Apostolic Delegate to Egypt, Arabia, Crete, Abyssinia, Palestine, Transjordan, and Cyprus.

Gustavo Testa was later named the first Apostolic Delegate to Palestine, Transjordania and Cyprus when it was established on 11 February 1948, and Nuncio to Switzerland on 6 March 1953.

On 4 October 1961, Cardinal Gustavo Testa was made Pro-President of the Cardinalitial Commission for the Special Administration of the Holy See.

Gustavo Testa was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 1963 papal conclave that elected Cardinal Montini as Pope Paul VI; during the conclave, Gustavo Testa lost his temper and demanded that the opponents of continuing the Second Vatican Council stop blocking Montini's election.

Gustavo Testa became Pro-Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 1965 when Pope Paul VI decided to no longer reserve the title of Prefect to himself.

Gustavo Testa died in Rome at age 82, and is buried in Bergamo.

Gustavo Testa had been a close friend of Pope John XXIII, from Bergamo, since they were schoolmates in Rome.