Cardinal Angelo Comastri is a retired distinguished Italian prelate who later in life held senior positions in Vatican City State including Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Born on September 17, 1943, in Sorano, Italy, he came from a humble family in the Maremma hills whose devout Catholic mother is said to have been “his true educator in life.”

He finished his junior high school in the seminary of Pitigliano and his high school studies in the regional seminary at Viterbo. Comastri then completed his priestly formation in the Roman Major Seminary while enrolling at the Pontifical Lateran University where he graduated with a licentiate in theology.

Ordained as a priest on March 11, 1967, Father Comastri quickly rose through the ranks of the Church hierarchy, firstly becoming vice-rector of the diocesan seminary of Pitigliano. In 1968, he was called  and later worked at the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. At the same time, he was appointed spiritual director at the Roman Minor Seminary and assistant chaplain of Regina Caeli Prison.

In 1971 he left Rome to direct the diocesan Seminary of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello during which time the seminary witnessed a good flourishing of priestly vocations.

In 1979 he was nominated parish priest of Porto Santo Stefano. This 11 years period of pastoral mission at the Argentario was filled with spiritual blessings, according to the Vatican’s biography, and among the most enriching events was an historical visit to the parish by Mother Teresa of Calcutta with whom he developed a close friendship.

He became bishop in 1990, appointed to the diocese of Massa Marittima-Piombino but due to a sudden heart ailment on March 3, 1994 he was forced to resign from his pastoral mission in the diocese which “always remained very dear to him,” the Vatican site says.

As bishop emeritus of Massa Marittima-Piombino, in 1994 he became president of the Italian National Center for Vocations as well as president of the Italian National Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

Having recovered from his illness, in 1996 he was nominated Archbishop and Pontifical Delegate for the Shrine of Loreto where he welcomed pilgrims especially the sick assisted by Unitalsi and Oftal.

Pope John Paul II asked Comastri to preach the spiritual exercises to the Roman Curia in 2003 and the cardinal chose the theme “God is Love!” In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI awarded him the honor of preparing the texts for the Stations of the Cross for the Good Friday celebration at the Colosseum.

On February 5, 2005 Pope John Paul II nominated him his Vicar General for Vatican City State and President of the Fabric of St. Peter as well as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Basilica.

Cardinal Comastri was Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City State and President of the Fabric of Saint Peter’s until 20 February 2021.

He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007, and took part in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Comastri is the author of numerous publications on spirituality and pastoral life, which have been translated into major languages. He has also written about his experiences as a prison chaplain in a book titled “I was in prison!”

In 2020, Comastri made some outspoken remarks, saying he believed the COVID-19 virus “does not come from God” and speculated about the possibility of bacteriological warfare. In the same year, he also said he objected to the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.¹He said: “No mosque was ever turned into a Catholic Church, and no Catholic has ever shot at an imam. They’ve even shot the pope himself, on May 13, 1981, in St. Peter’s Square: If they want dialogue, it must be done with fair and honest weapons, with the honesty of looking into each other’s eyes and answering with facts.”

During the pandemic, as Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Comastri took a significant spiritual initiative to combat the global health crisis through prayer by leading a daily recitation of the Holy Rosary from St. Peter’s Basilica, which was broadcast to the faithful around the world.

In 2021, Comastri became involved in a Vatican abuse trial when three witnesses testified that Cardinal Comastri or his aides were aware of sexual abuse allegations at the St. Pius X Pre-Seminary on Vatican grounds and took no action. There was confusion about whether Comastri, as archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and vicar general for Vatican City State, had responsibility for the pre-seminary. Comastri was not charged in connection with the case and no formal investigation into his actions was announced.

Cardinal Comastri is well regarded for his pastoral sensitivity and strong spirituality.