Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi is a former Archbishop of Palermo known for his outspoken condemnation of organized crime and his sensitivity to social problems, especially those concerning family, youth, and the protection of life.

He also played a key role in investigating the 2012 Vatileaks affair.

Born on September 6, 1930, in Vernole, Italy, De Giorgi was ordained priest for the Diocese of Lecce on June 28, 1953, by Bishop Francesco Minerva, whom he served as secretary until 1958.

De Giorgi was consecrated Auxiliary of Oria in 1973 and became Bishop of Oria on March 17, 1978.

His leadership roles expanded as he was promoted to Archbishop of Foggia on April 4, 1981. Six years later he was transferred to the Metropolitan Church of Taranto. In 1990, De Giorgi was named General Chaplain of Catholic Action. In 1996 he was appointed Archbishop of Palermo and elected President of the Sicilian Episcopal Conference. His service in this role continued until his retirement on December 19, 2006.

Throughout his career, De Giorgi held various positions within the Italian Episcopal Conference, including secretary of the Liturgical Commission, member of the Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith, Catechesis and Culture, and president of the Bishops’ Commission for the Laity.

De Giorgi’s pastoral ministry was characterized by a focus on spiritual aspects, dedication to clergy formation, and promotion of the laity. He was also known for his sensitivity to social issues, particularly those affecting families, youth, and the protection of life.

On February 21, 1998, St. John Paul II elevated De Giorgi to the rank of Cardinal, assigning him the title of S. Maria in Ara Coeli. He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI.

Beyond his ecclesiastical duties, De Giorgi is also a journalist-publicist and author of several publications on religious topics. His works include “Le meraviglie del Regno” and “Riscopriamo la nostra ministerialità.”

Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi’s life and career exemplify dedicated service to the Catholic Church, spanning over six decades and encompassing various influential roles within the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi played a significant role in the Vatileaks investigation as one of the three cardinals appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to investigate the scandal. As part of this commission, De Giorgi, along with Cardinal Julián Herranz and Cardinal Jozef Tomko, was tasked with conducting a thorough internal investigation that went beyond the narrow criminal scope of the leaks.¹The commission led by the three cardinals interviewed much of the Vatican bureaucracy and prepared a comprehensive report on their findings. On December 17, 2012, they presented Pope Benedict XVI with a dossier consisting of two red-leather bound volumes, almost 300 pages long, which reportedly contained “an exact map of the mischief and the bad fish” inside the Holy See. The report, which De Giorgi helped compile, allegedly uncovered evidence of various lobbies within the Holy See breaking the sixth and seventh commandments, relating to theft and adultery. The findings were said to include information about financial impropriety, particularly concerning the Vatican Bank, as well as the existence of a powerful faction “united by sexual orientation” within the Roman Curia. The cardinals’ report was confidential and submitted privately to Pope Benedict XVI. It was not made public, and the Vatican emphasized that the three cardinals, including De Giorgi, would not be giving interviews or divulging details regarding the contents of the report. The dossier was later passed to Pope Francis.

Cardinal De Giorgi is known for his dedication to the formation of clergy, and promotion of the laity. According to his Vatican biography, he is also “sensitive to the social problems regarding the family, the young and the protection of life,” and has “always been attentive to the diverse realities tied to the disadvantage and to the emarginated by visiting hospitals, prisons, drug rehabilitation centers, immigration centers, facilities assisting the handicapped.” He was also often outspoken in his condemnation of organized crime and the mafia when he was Archbishop of Palermo.