Mgr. Mariano Crociata, Bishop of Latina, is the new President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE). He was elected by the Bishop Delegates of the EU Bishops’ Conferences, gathered in Rome for their 2023 Spring Assembly.
Mgr. Crociata, 70, takes over as President from Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ for the period 2023-2028. Upon his election, the Bishop of Latina expressed his gratitude to the members of the Assembly for their trust. “This is a crucial time for Europe and for the Church. Unity and solidarity are needed more than ever. They should guide us through the many transitions our societies are faced with”, Mgr. Crociata stated.
“I am particularly referring to the need for a just and sustainable recovery from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure leaving no one behind, as well as renewing the vocation of the European Union to be a source of development and a promise of peace for our beloved continent and the world”, he continued.
The new President is the Delegate of the Italian Bishops’ Conference to COMECE since 2017. In the last five years, he served as First-Vice President of COMECE. Click here to read his biography.
The Assembly also elected four Vice-Presidents, mirroring the geographical and cultural diversity of the Church in the European Union. The Vice-Presidents are: Mgr. Antoine Hérouard (France), Mgr. Nuno Brás da Silva Martins (Portugal), Mgr. Rimantas Norvila (Lithuania), Mgr. Czeslaw Kozon (Nordic Bishops’ Conference). Mgr. Hérouard is the First Vice-President.