Giovanni Canestri (30 September 1918 – 29 April 2015) was an Italian Catholic cardinal, who served as Archbishop of Cagliari from 1984 until 1987 and as Archbishop of Genoa from 1987 until 1995.

Life

Born in Castelspina,

province of Alessandria The Province of Alessandria ( it, Provincia di Alessandria; pms, Provincia ëd Lissandria; in Piedmontese of Alessandria: ''Provinsa ëd Lissändria'') is an Italian province, with a population of some 425,000, which forms the southeastern part o ...

, he was ordained priest on 12 April 1941. Canestri studied at the Minor Seminary of Alessandria from 1929 (secondary studies); then, at the Episcopal Seminary of Alessandria, where he obtained the maturità classica. In 1937, he went to Rome to study at the Pontifical Roman Seminary, Rome. Concurrently he studied at the

Pontifical Lateran University The Pontifical Lateran University ( it, Pontificia Università Lateranense; la, Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Pont ...

, Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in theology; and later, a doctorate in utroque iure, both canon law and civil law; and at the Rome State University, where he earned a doctorate in letters. In August 1959 he was nominated spiritual director of the

Pontifical Roman Seminary , type = Major seminary , established = , founder = Pope Pius IV , parent = Diocese of Rome , religious_affiliation = Catholic Church , rector = Gabriele Fara ...

and was member of the commission for the first diocesan synod of Rome. He also served as Apostolic examiner of the clergy. On 8 July 1961 he was named

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox ...

of ''Tenedo'', and auxiliary of the

Cardinal vicar of Rome it, Vicario Generale di Sua Santità , unofficial_names = Cardinal Vicar , insignia = Coat of arms Holy See.svg , insigniasize = 75px , insigniacaption = Coat of arms of the Diocese of Rome , image = AngeloDeDonatis.jpg , incumbent = Angel ...

. He participated in the general congregations of

Vatican II The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

on the themes of ecumenism and

religious liberty Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...

. On 7 January 1971 he was transferred to the see of Tortona. On 8 February 1975 he was transferred to the titular see of Monterano, with personal title of archbishop, and appointed

vicegerent Vicegerent is the official administrative deputy of a ruler or head of state: ''vice'' (Latin for "in place of") and ''gerere'' (Latin for "to carry on, conduct"). In Oxford colleges, a vicegerent is often someone appointed by the Master of a ...

of the

Diocese of Rome The Diocese of Rome ( la, Dioecesis Urbis seu Romana; it, Diocesi di Roma) is the ecclesiastical district under the direct jurisdiction of the Pope, who is Bishop of Rome and hence the supreme pontiff and head of the worldwide Catholic Church ...

. During this time he was dedicated to the growth and development of the community, defending the values of the human person, especially the value of life. On 22 March 1984 he was named Archbishop of Cagliari. On 6 July 1987 he was transferred to the

metropolitan see Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a ...

of Genoa. Canestri was made a Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Andrea della Valle by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

in the consistory of 28 June 1988. He became Archbishop Emeritus of Genoa on 20 April 1995. His brother Carlo Canestri (1920–2004) was

Vicar general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop' ...

of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alessandria. Cardinal Canestri died on 29 April 2015. His Funeral Mass was celebrated on Sunday, 2 May 2015, at 8:30 AM, by Angelo Cardinal Sodano, the incumbent

Dean of the College of Cardinals The dean of the College of Cardinals ( la, Decanus Collegii Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalium) presides over the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, serving as ''primus inter pares'' (first among equals). The position was establi ...

, together with other prelates and other Cardinals;

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

presided at the rites of Final Commendation and Valediction. He is buried in the Cathedral of Genoa.

References

*''(Basic information was taken fro
the Vatican website
)''
Catholic-pages bio

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canestri, Giovanni 1918 births 2015 deaths People from the Province of Alessandria 20th-century Italian cardinals Pontifical Roman Seminary alumni Pontifical Lateran University alumni 20th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Roman Catholic archbishops of Genoa Participants in the Second Vatican Council Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II