Roman Catholic Cardinal. Valfabbrica born Fortunato Baldelli received his first education in the local schools and at the Seminary of Assisi before being sent over to Rome by his ordinary to further his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University and successively at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Ordained priest in Assisi in 1961, he served as vice rector of the city's minor seminary of Assisi before entering the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See, serving in Cuba and Egypt. Called back to Rome, he was assigned to the Secretariat of State and later to the Council for the Public Affairs of the Church. In 1979, he was named special envoy, with functions of permanent observer of the Holy See, to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Named apostolic delegate in Angola and elected archbishop of the titular see of Bevagna, he received his episcopal consecration on April 23, 1983 at St. Francis's Basilica in Assisi from Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Secretary of State. Pro-nuncio to São Tomé and Príncipe while remaining as delegate in Angola, he was named nuncio in the Dominican Republic and apostolic delegate in Puerto Rico and successively nuncio in France in 1999. Appointed major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary on June 2, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI created him cardinal deacon in the consistory of November 20 of the following year with the deaconry of Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino. Retiring from office on January 5, 2012, the Cardinal passed away at Istituto Internazionale del Clero in Rome and was buried in the cemetery of his native village.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. Valfabbrica born Fortunato Baldelli received his first education in the local schools and at the Seminary of Assisi before being sent over to Rome by his ordinary to further his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University and successively at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Ordained priest in Assisi in 1961, he served as vice rector of the city's minor seminary of Assisi before entering the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See, serving in Cuba and Egypt. Called back to Rome, he was assigned to the Secretariat of State and later to the Council for the Public Affairs of the Church. In 1979, he was named special envoy, with functions of permanent observer of the Holy See, to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Named apostolic delegate in Angola and elected archbishop of the titular see of Bevagna, he received his episcopal consecration on April 23, 1983 at St. Francis's Basilica in Assisi from Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Secretary of State. Pro-nuncio to São Tomé and Príncipe while remaining as delegate in Angola, he was named nuncio in the Dominican Republic and apostolic delegate in Puerto Rico and successively nuncio in France in 1999. Appointed major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary on June 2, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI created him cardinal deacon in the consistory of November 20 of the following year with the deaconry of Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino. Retiring from office on January 5, 2012, the Cardinal passed away at Istituto Internazionale del Clero in Rome and was buried in the cemetery of his native village.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
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