Earlier today, it has been announced that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed the Apostolic Nuncio in Malta, His Excellency Archbishop Tommaso Caputo, as Archbishop of Pompei and Pontifical Delegate for the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompei.
His Excellency Monsignor Tommaso Caputo, 62, who hails from Naples, was ordained priest in 1974. After some years of pastoral work in the Archdiocese of Naples, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, working in the Apostolic Nunciature in Rwanda, in the Philippines and in Venezuela. Subsequently, from 1989, he worked in the Secretariat of State, while in 1993, Pope John Paul II appointed him Chief of Protocol. On the 3rd September 2007, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI named Monsignor Caputo Apostolic Nuncio to Malta and to Libya, at the same time assigning him the titular see of Otricoli. On the 29th September 2007, Pope Benedict XVI ordained him archbishop in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Following these last five years of service as Apostolic Nuncio in Malta and Libya, Archbishop Tommaso Caputo will be embarking on a new mission as the Archbishop-Prelate of Pompei and as the Pontifical Delegate for the shrine of Pompei which was founded by Blessed Bartolo Longo in the 19th century. This shrine dedicated to Our Lady possesses a long history of devotion, mission and evangelization through the prayer of the Rosary. Bartolo Longo, a lawyer who underwent an experience of profound conversion in his life, was the moving force behind the beginnings of the Marian devotion in Pompei, as well as the founder of several charities for orphans, children, migrants and drug addicts. In his new role, Archbishop Caputo, as Shepherd of the local Church of Pompei, will be responsible for the pastoral life of this Archdiocese, as well as the devotional and charitable activities associated with the Shrine of Pompei.
Mgr Paul Cremona O.P, Archbishop of Malta and Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mgr Caputo for this new sign of trust which has been shown in him by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. The Bishops would like to thank him for the five years of good and faithful service, and for the constant support he has given to the Church in Malta and Gozo. They promise their prayers to accompany him in this new mission as a spiritual shepherd of the Archdiocese of Pompei.