Archbishop Giuseppe Cardinal Siri
25 years ago, on May 2nd 1989 Archbishop Giuseppe Cardinal Siri died in Genoa at the age of 82, a priest and a doctor of theology; a presbyter since 1928, at the age of 38 has been appointed an auxiliary Bishop and in 1946 – an archbishop of Genoa; in 1953 made cardinal by Pope Pius XII (1982-1989 – Protopriest in the College of Cardinals); from 1958 to 1965 – President of the Italian Bishops' Conference; as a metropolitan of Genoa he was known for his community involvement; one of the most papabili (Pius XII saw him as his successor) during the conclave in 1958 , 1963 and (twice) in 1978: according to the "Siri thesis" (supported among others by Father Malachi Martin) he was actually elected Pope on October 26th 1958 at 18.00 (when white smoke was released over the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Radio speaker announced Habemus papam ) and wanted to take the name of Gregory XVII, but he resigned or was forced to resign by the progressive fraction under the pretext that the election of a conservative Pope will harm Catholics living in communist countries or was blackmailed with a threat of schism; analogous situation took place in 1963 and 1978; Siri himself did not officially confirmed this version of events, but in 1985 he declared to the visiting traditionalist group that he is bound by secrecy; after turning 80 (1986), he lost the right to participate in the conclave and in 1987 resigned from the office of the archbishop, his resignation was accepted.
prof. Jacek Bartyzel
translated by Arek Jakubczyk
Kategoria: Reactionary Diary
