Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe is a retired senior Vatican official and former Archbishop of Naples known for his pastoral initiatives but whose administrative record came under scrutiny later in his career.

Born on June 2, 1943, in Carinaro, Italy, Sepe was ordained priest on March 12, 1967, for the Diocese of Aversa. He then pursued higher education, earning degrees in theology and canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University and philosophy from the University of Rome.

Sepe’s early career included teaching theology at the Lateran and Urban Pontifical Universities. He then entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, serving in Brazil from 1972 to 1975 before being called to the Secretariat of State. His responsibilities grew, and in 1987, he was appointed Assessor for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State.

On April 2, 1992, Sepe was named titular Archbishop of Grado and Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, receiving episcopal ordination from Pope John Paul II on April 26, 1992. He played a significant role in preparing for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, serving as Secretary General of the Central Committee from November 3, 1997.

Sepe’s career continued to advance when he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples on April 9, 2001. Later that year, on February 21, St. John Paul II created and proclaimed him Cardinal with the title of Dio Padre Misericordioso.

A significant change came on May 20, 2006, when Sepe was appointed Archbishop of Naples, a position he held until December 12, 2020. During his tenure in Naples, he was known for his pastoral initiatives, including opening the doors of Naples Cathedral to immigrants and homeless people for a New Year’s Eve lunch in 2016.

Cardinal Sepe participated in the conclaves that elected both Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and Pope Francis in 2013. Throughout his career, he has authored several theological and pastoral publications, demonstrating his commitment to both scholarship and practical ministry.

However, the cardinal has also been associated with several controversies and scandals later in his career, primarily related to financial matters and allegations of corruption. In 2010 he became the target of a corruption investigation by Italian authorities, centering around his time as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2001 to 2006. He was also named in a

broader corruption scandal involving prominent politicians and public officials in Italy.

Cardinal Sepe maintained his innocence throughout the investigations. Like other Vatican officials facing similar scrutiny, Sepe argued that he was simply following long-standing practices in Vatican financial dealings.