Vincenzo Fagiolo

Who was Vincenzo Fagiolo?

Vincenzo Fagiolo S.T.D. J.C.D. was an Italian righteous among the nations, a Cardinal, and from 1990 until 1994 President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.

Fagiolo was educated at the Seminary of Segni, the Seminary of Anagni and at the Pontifical Lateran University, earning doctorates in theology and canon law. He was ordained on 6 March 1943, and worked in the Diocese of Rome from 1943 to 1971. He attended the Second Vatican Council as an expert.

Pope Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto on 20 November 1971. He served as Vice-President of the Episcopal Conference of Italy from 1979 until 1984. Fagiolo was honoured by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations in 1983. He resigned the pastoral government of the archdiocese 15 July 1984. In 1990 Pope John Paul II named him President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. He was created and proclaimed Cardinal-Deacon of S. Teodoro in the consistory of November 26, 1994. He resigned the presidency of the Pontifical Council on 19 December 1994. He lost the right to participate in a conclave when he turned 80 years old in 1998, and died two years later.