13 Facts About Salvatore Pappalardo

Salvatore Pappalardo was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Palermo for over 25 years, from 1970 to 1996.

Salvatore Pappalardo was the first senior clergyman from Sicily to speak out against the Mafia, breaking its code of omerta.

Salvatore Pappalardo was ordained as a priest in Rome on 12 April 1941, and was a Counsellor of the Vatican Secretariat of State from 1947 to 1965, receiving in 1951 the title of Privy Chamberlain to Pope John XXIII, and in 1961 that of Domestic Prelate.

Salvatore Pappalardo was appointed titular archbishop of Miletus and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Indonesia on 7 December 1965.

Salvatore Pappalardo was appointed President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome on 7 May 1969.

Salvatore Pappalardo was named Archbishop of Palermo on 17 October 1970.

Salvatore Pappalardo was made Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Odigitria dei Siciliani by Pope Paul VI on 5 March 1973.

Salvatore Pappalardo was considered papabile in the October 1978 conclave that followed the death of Pope John Paul I Salvatore Pappalardo would have been the first Sicilian pope in twelve centuries.

Salvatore Pappalardo became more explicit in the early 1990s, after other anti-Mafia lawyers, policemen and priests had been murdered.

Salvatore Pappalardo later apologised, having meant the word synagogue in its "old sense, as a gathering place".

Salvatore Pappalardo was awarded the title of Knight of the Grand Cross of the Italian Republic by Italian President Sandro Pertini.

Salvatore Pappalardo retired upon the appointment of Salvatore De Giorgi as his successor on 4 April 1996.

Salvatore Pappalardo died in Palermo on 10 December 2006 and was buried in the chapel of Santa Cristina in the Cathedral of Palermo on 12 December.