Cardinal Philippe Xavier Christian Ignace Marie Barbarin is a former Archbishop of Lyon who was known for his innovative approach to pastoral work, commitment to interfaith dialogue, and support for persecuted Christians.

His career received a serious setback in 2017 when questions arose over his handling of sexual abuse allegations in the Church — allegations which were subsequently thrown out on appeal.

Born on October 17, 1950, in Rabat, Morocco, into a large family with six sisters, two of whom are nuns, and four brothers, Barbarin studied at the public Lycée Marcellin Berthelot in Saint-Maur and then in Paris at the Catholic Collège des Francs-Bourgeois, where he completed his baccalaureate.

He studied philosophy at the Major Seminary of Paris, the Institute for Comparative Philosophy, and the Sorbonne, interrupted for a time by military service. In 1973 he entered the Institut Catholique de Paris, where he earned a theology bachelor.

Barbarin’s ecclesiastical career began with his ordination as a priest in 1977 for the Diocese of Créteil. He held a variety of pastoral assignments in France until 1994, when he taught theology in the Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.

His rise through the Church hierarchy was marked by his appointment as Bishop of Moulins in 1998, followed by his elevation to Archbishop of Lyon in 2002 at the young age of 51.

Barbarin’s tenure as Archbishop was characterized by his enterprising and inventive approach to pastoral work. In 2003, Pope St. John Paul II elevated Barbarin to the rank of cardinal, recognizing his growing influence within the Church.

One of Barbarin’s most notable achievements was his commitment to interfaith dialogue and support for Christians in the East. In 2014, he demonstrated his dedication by traveling to Erbil, Iraq, to stand in solidarity with Christians facing persecution from ISIS. His efforts in interfaith relations were further recognized when Kamel Kabtane, Imam of the Great Mosque of Lyon, awarded him the Officer’s Insignia of the National Order of Merit in 2007.

But Barbarin’s career received a serious setback in 2017 when questions arose over his handling of sexual abuse allegations within the Church. He was charged that year with failing to report sexual abuse allegedly committed by priest Bernard Preynat during Boy Scout outings between 1986 and 1991. This led to a high-profile trial in 2019, where Barbarin was initially found guilty and given a suspended six-month prison sentence.

Following the verdict, Barbarin submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, who initially refused it, invoking the presumption of innocence. Barbarin’s conviction was later overturned on appeal on January 30, 2020. Despite this legal victory, Pope Francis accepted Barbarin’s resignation as Archbishop of Lyon on March 6, 2020, effectively ending his tenure in this position.

In 2012, Barbarin made clear his firm opposition to same-sex “marriage” in France.¹He said: “Everyone knows marriage is the union between a man and a woman. The parliaments of the 21st century cannot change that…. I and many other priests are engaged in dialogue with a number of homosexual people. They know they are loved and that they will always be welcome. I would remind them however that God watches over and says to everyone: ‘You are precious in my eyes.’ I hope that everyone listens to Christ’s call and are helped to reciprocate.” His vocal stance on the issue, which he viewed as a significant change in civilization, earned him both supporters and critics, particularly within the government.

Barbarin suffered a double heart attack on a flight from Lyon to 2013 World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. He was transferred to Fort de France, Martinique, where he underwent a triple bypass operation.

The cardinal is known to be close to the traditional Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and reportedly facilitated a reprieve from Pope Francis to allow the fraternity to continue to celebrating the sacraments in the Vetus Ordo.

Cardinal Barbarin is gifted in languages and his multilingual abilities have contributed to his effectiveness as a public speaker and his ability to engage with diverse communities both within France and internationally. In addition to his native French, Barbarin speaks Italian, English, Spanish, German, and Malagasy.

Throughout his career, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin has been admired for his pastoral zeal and interfaith efforts.