Roman Catholic Cardinal. A native of Castelspina, Giovanni Canestri entered seminary in Alessandria in 1929, furthering later his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Major Roman Seminary, the Pontifical Lateran University and the Rome State University, earning a licenciate in theology, a doctorate in utroque iure in both canon law and civil laws and a doctorate in letters. Ordained priest in Rome on April 12, 1941 alongside Salvatore Pappalardo, future Cardinal Archbishop of Palermo, Canestri served as vice-pastor in Garbatella and in Pietralata and successively, as parish priest of San Giovanni Battista De Rossi, in the Roman neighborhood of Appio-Latino for nine years. Appointed pastor of Santi Ottavio e Compagni Martiri in the township of Ottavia in 1950, he guided the parish of Santa Maria della Consolazione in Casalbertone between 1951 and 1959. Professor of religion in several Roman superior institutes, in August 1959 he was named spiritual director of the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary. Member of the Commission for the First Diocesan Synod of Rome and apostolic examiner of clergy, at forty two years of age he was named auxiliary bishop for the diocese of Rome by Pope John XXIII, receiving his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Tenedus on July 30, 1961 from Cardinal Luigi Traglia. In charge of the pastoral care of the East sector of Rome, he acted as episcopal delegate for the Italian Catholic Action in the same diocese. Founding a theological center for the formation of the laity in 1965, Pope Paul VI transferred him to the see of Tortona on January 7, 1971, later recalling him to Rome as vicegerent on February 8, 1975, promoting him to the titular archbishopric see of Forum Clodii. Transferred to the metropolitan see of Cagliari by Pope John Paul II on March 22, 1984 and successively to that of Genoa on July 6, 1987, he became titular abbot of San Colombano when the latter was united to the see of Genoa. Created cardinal priest by the named Pope John Paul II in the consistory of June 28, 1988 with the title of Sant'Andrea della Valle, following his retirement in 1995 he moved to Rome, where he resided at via Cernaia 9, under the care of the Apostole del Sacro Cuore di Gesù. Pope Benedict XVI paid him a visit on April 10, 2011 on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of his priesthood ordination. Passing away at the said residence in Rome, in accordance with his wishes, the Cardinal was laid to rest inside the metropolitan cathedral of Genoa.