Cardinal Paolo Romeo turns 80, number of cardinal electors falls to 118

Cardinal Paolo Romeo turns 80 years old, meaning he will no longer be able to vote in a future conclave.

The Italian cardinal boasts a long diplomatic career. In 1983, John Paul II appointed him as nuncio in Haiti. There, Romeo faced one of the most difficult situations in the country’s recent history, with the fall of François Duvalier’s regime and subsequent coups.

In 1990, Romeo was nuncio in Colombia and later in Canada before returning to Italy in 2001. Benedict XVI named him archbishop of Palermo in 2006, and the cardinal participated in the 2013 Conclave that elected Pope Francis. 

For now, the number of cardinal electors falls to 118. 

Source: Romereports