Born: November 1, 1932
Place of Birth: Onitsha, Colony of Nigeria
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Francis Arinze is a Nigerian cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2002 to 2008. He led the Secretariat for Non-Christians (later renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue) from 1984 to 2002.
He has been a cardinal since 1985 and the Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni since 2005. Arinze was one of the principal advisors to Pope John Paul II and was considered papabile at the papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.
Arinze was born in the tiny village of Eziowelle, Anambra, Nigeria, to a family of peasant farmers who practiced a local indigenous religion. He followed a brother in converting to Catholicism, and he was baptized on 1 November 1941, his ninth birthday, by Father Michael Tansi, who was beatified by John Paul II in 1998. His parents later converted to Catholicism as well. At age 15, he entered All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha and graduated with a philosophy degree in 1950. His father initially opposed his entering the seminary but encouraged him when he saw how he enjoyed it. Arinze stayed at All Hallows until 1953 to teach. In 1955, he went to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urban University, where he earned a doctorate in sacred theology summa cum laude.
On 23 November 1958, at the university chapel, Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian ordained Arinze to the priesthood, pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.
After ordination, Arinze remained in Rome, earning a master's in theology in 1959 and a doctorate in 1960. His doctoral thesis on "Ibo Sacrifice as an Introduction to the Catechesis of Holy Mass" was the basis for his reference work, "Sacrifice in Ibo Religion," published in 1970. From 1961 to 1962, Arinze was a liturgy, logic, and essential philosophy professor at Bigard Memorial Seminary in Enugu. He was then appointed regional secretary for Catholic education in eastern Nigeria. He was then transferred to London, where he attended the Institute of Education and graduated in 1964.
On 6 July 1965, Pope Paul VI appointed him titular bishop of Fissiana and coadjutor to Charles Heerey, archbishop of Onitsha, Nigeria. Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world when Heerey consecrated him on 29 August 1965, at the age of 32. He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. Heerey died on 6 February 1967, and Pope Paul appointed Arinze to succeed him as archbishop on 26 June 1967. He was the first native African to head this archdiocese.
The Nigeria-Biafra War broke out just days after Arinze was named archbishop. The entire archdiocese was located in the secessionist Biafran territory. Arinze fled to Adazi and then Amichi until the war ended in 1980. Arinze spent these years aiding refugees and, with the help of foreign missionaries, supervised what one international relief worker called one of "the most effective and efficient distributions of relief materials" in history. He kept the Church independent of the warring factions.
At the end of the war, the Nigerian government deported all foreign missionaries stationed in the archdiocese, leaving only the native clergy and religious, who were few in number. The government also confiscated the Catholic schools, most of which also served as churches or parish halls.
He was president of the Nigerian Bishops Conference from 1979 to 1984.
Impressed by Arinze's ability to work with Muslims, Pope John Paul II, on 8 April 1984, appointed Arinze pro-president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, later renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Arinze continued as the ordinary of his archdiocese.
In 1985, he was awarded the chieftaincy title of the Ochudouwa of Eziowelle.
On 9 March 1985, Arinze resigned from his post in Onitsha.
Pope John Paul II named Arinze Cardinal-Deacon of San Giovanni della Pigna in the consistory held on 25 May 1985. After ten years, he exercised his option to be raised to the rank of cardinal-priest, which Pope John Paul approved on 29 January 1996. Two days after becoming a cardinal, Arinze was appointed president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in 1988.
He served in various related capacities, including the president of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops. He also received honors in this capacity: On 24 October 1999, he received a gold medallion from the International Council of Christians and Jews for his outstanding achievements in inter-faith relations. He traveled extensively and became a popular speaker in the United States.
Arinze was a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. In that capacity, he worked closely with individual bishops and priests worldwide in preparation for the rare celebration of the Church. On 1 October 2002, Pope John Paul II named him prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
When Pope John Paul died on 2 April 2005, all central Vatican officials – including Arinze – automatically lost their positions. He was considered papabile, a candidate for election to the papacy, at the papal conclave that followed, in which he was a cardinal elector. He returned to his post as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship when confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI on 21 April 2005. On 25 April, Benedict named him Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni, a post-Benedict himself had held until he was elected Pope.
On 9 December 2008, Benedict accepted Arinze's resignation as the Congregation of Divine Worship prefect.