Pope’s condolence for death of Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli

(September 21, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his condolences at the death of Italian Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, who passed away in Rome Thursday evening. The former Apostolic Nuncio and Major Penitentiary was 77. In a condolence message to the prelate’s brother, the Pope recalled the late cardinal’s exemplary witness to Christian and priestly life and his zealous and faithful service to the Holy See, especially in various diplomatic missions that won appreciation for fervent apostolic zeal and fidelity to the Gospel.
Cardinal Baldelli was born on Aug. 6, 1935 and ordained priest in 1961. With his appointment as Apostolic Delegate to Angola in 1983, he was made archbishop. He served as Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic, Peru and France. He was appointed Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary in 2009, and was made cardinal by Pope Benedict in 2010. He retired as Major Penitentiary in January this year.
With Cardinal Baldelli’s death, the number of cardinals in the world now stands at 205, of whom 117 are below 80 years of age and hence are eligible to vote in the case of the election of a new pope.