Cardinal André Armand Vingt-Trois is a former Archbishop of Paris who led the bishops’ conference in France for six years and fought hard but in vain to resist same-sex “marriage” legislation in his country.

Born on November 7, 1942, in Paris, France, Vingt-Trois’ unique surname, meaning “twenty-three” in French, likely originates from an ancestor who was abandoned and found on the 23rd day of a month.

Vingt-Trois pursued his education at the Lycée Henri IV and entered the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Issy-les-Moulineaux in 1962. He obtained a licentiate in moral theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris and completed his military service in Germany from 1964 to 1965.

Ordained deacon in October 1968 and priest on June 28, 1969, Vingt-Trois began his pastoral work focusing on parochial catechetics and lay formation. He served as a vicar at the Parisian parish of Sainte-Jeanne de Chantal from 1974 to 1981 and later became the director of the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice, where he also taught moral and sacramental theology.

His ecclesiastical career advanced rapidly. On June 25, 1988, Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Paris and Titular Bishop of Thibilis. He was consecrated as a bishop on October 14, 1988. Vingt-Trois became Archbishop of Tours on April 21, 1999, and was later appointed Archbishop of Paris on February 11, 2005, succeeding the late Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger.

Pope Benedict XVI elevated Vingt-Trois to the cardinalate on November 23, 2007. He served as President of the French Episcopal Conference from 2007 to 2013 and participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Throughout his career, Vingt-Trois has been involved in various Vatican congregations and councils, including the Congregation for Bishops, the Pontifical Council for the Family, and the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. He has been a vocal opponent of same sex “marriage” in France, warning about its potential societal impacts during France’s debate on same sex “marriage” legislation in 2012-2013. Vingt-Trois worked to build a coalition of various faiths and secular groups to oppose the law, focusing his arguments on the welfare of children.

Vingt-Trois also gained recognition for reviving the tradition of a national prayer for France on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, which had fallen into disuse after World War II.

Throughout his career, Cardinal Vingt-Trois has been actively involved in various aspects of Church life, including formation of laity, parochial catechetics, family ministry, and media communications. He has also participated in several Synods of Bishops and was a cardinal elector in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Cardinal Vingt-Trois retired as Archbishop of Paris on December 7, 2017, at the age of 75.