12 Facts About Raffaele Farina

Raffaele Farina SDB was born on 24 September 1933 and is an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church.

Raffaele Farina was Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives, Librarian of the Vatican Library, and president of Scuola Vaticana di Paleografia, Diplomatica e Archivistica.

Raffaele Farina professed his simple vows on 25 September 1949, and made his perpetual vows on 25 September 1954; one of his sisters is a Salesian.

Raffaele 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.

Raffaele Farina was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Michele Alberto Arduino SDB, on 1 July 1958.

Raffaele Farina later studied ecclesiastical history at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and received his doctorate in 1965.

Raffaele Farina was named regolatore of the XXI general chapter of his congregation in 1978.

On 15 November 2006, Raffaele Farina was appointed Titular Bishop of Opitergium by Pope Benedict XVI.

Raffaele 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.

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

Raffaele 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.

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