Piero Marini
Encyclopedia
Piero Marini is a Roman Catholic archbishop
who is president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses
. For twenty years he served as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, in charge of the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
. In that capacity he worked for Pope
s John Paul II and Benedict XVI
.
and was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church on 27 June 1965. He holds a doctorate
in liturgy
from the Benedictine-run College of Sant'Anselmo
http://ncrcafe.org/node/1353.
In 1975, Marini became personal secretary of Archbishop
Annibale Bugnini
, the controversial chief architect of the liturgical reforms that followed Vatican II. From 1987 to 2007, Marini was the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, the man who appears at the pope's side in every celebration. He was appointed Titular Bishop
of Martirano on the 14 February 1998 and was ordained bishop on 19 March of that year. On the 29 September 2003 he was raised to the rank of Archbishop.
On 1 October 2007 after twenty years as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Pope Benedict appointed him president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses. This body has the task, according to Pastor Bonus
, of making "ever better known, loved and served, Our Lord Jesus Christ in his Eucharistic Mystery, as centre of the life of the Church and of its mission for the salvation of the world through the celebration of International Eucharistic Congresses".
Marini's innovative approach to papal ceremonies sometimes made him the focus of criticism, so that, after the election of Pope Benedict XVI
in 2005, it was hopefully rumoured that he would be removed from his post and would take up an Italian diocese http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2005/06/musical-curialists.html.
Some surmised that the timing of Marini's departure may be linked to the July 2007 decision by Pope Benedict to liberalise permission
for the 1962 Tridentine Mass
. Of this document Marini said that it "does not intend to introduce modifications into the current Roman Missal
nor to express a negative judgement on the liturgical reform desired by the Council
" and that it was "a gesture at the service of unity".
Of his relationship with Pope Benedict XVI, Marini wrote:
Marini is the author of A Challenging Reform - Realizing the Vision of the Liturgical Renewal (ISBN: 978-0-8146-3035-8).
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
who is president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses
Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses
The Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses is part of the Roman Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. The Pontifical Committee was constituted and erected in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII and which received approval of its updated Statutes in 1986 from Pope John Paul II.-Aims:The...
. For twenty years he served as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, in charge of the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff is described in Pastor Bonus as:Art. 182 — § 1. The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff is to prepare all that is necessary for the liturgical and other sacred celebrations performed by the Supreme Pontiff...
. In that capacity he worked for Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
s John Paul II and Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
.
Biography
Marini was born in Valverde, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church on 27 June 1965. He holds a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
from the Benedictine-run College of Sant'Anselmo
Sant'Anselmo
Sant'Anselmo, named after the Italian saint and theologian, Anselm of Canterbury, is the home of the Abbot Primate of the Benedictines, seat of the Benedictine Confederation, and also hosts an Athenaeum, including the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, and the Philosophy and Theology faculties...
http://ncrcafe.org/node/1353.
In 1975, Marini became personal secretary of Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Annibale Bugnini
Annibale Bugnini
Annibale Bugnini, C.M. was a Roman Catholic prelate. Ordained in 1936 and named archbishop in 1972, he was secretary of the commission that worked on the reform of the Catholic liturgy that followed the Second Vatican Council....
, the controversial chief architect of the liturgical reforms that followed Vatican II. From 1987 to 2007, Marini was the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, the man who appears at the pope's side in every celebration. He was appointed Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Martirano on the 14 February 1998 and was ordained bishop on 19 March of that year. On the 29 September 2003 he was raised to the rank of Archbishop.
On 1 October 2007 after twenty years as Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Pope Benedict appointed him president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses. This body has the task, according to Pastor Bonus
Pastor Bonus
Pastor Bonus is an Apostolic Constitution promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988. It instituted a number of reforms in the process of running the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, as article 1 states "The Roman Curia is the complex of dicasteries and institutes which help...
, of making "ever better known, loved and served, Our Lord Jesus Christ in his Eucharistic Mystery, as centre of the life of the Church and of its mission for the salvation of the world through the celebration of International Eucharistic Congresses".
Activity as liturgist
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in 2005, it was hopefully rumoured that he would be removed from his post and would take up an Italian diocese http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2005/06/musical-curialists.html.
Some surmised that the timing of Marini's departure may be linked to the July 2007 decision by Pope Benedict to liberalise permission
Summorum Pontificum
Summorum Pontificum is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued "motu proprio" . The document specified the rules, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962" , and for administering most of the sacraments in...
for the 1962 Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
. Of this document Marini said that it "does not intend to introduce modifications into the current Roman Missal
Roman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
nor to express a negative judgement on the liturgical reform desired by the Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
" and that it was "a gesture at the service of unity".
Of his relationship with Pope Benedict XVI, Marini wrote:
I also express my heartfelt filial gratitude to Pope Benedict XVI who, immediately following his election, chose to confirm me as Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations. To tell the truth, it was not a completely new experience for me, since I had been his master of ceremonies following his elevation to the cardinalate. For this reason too, from the very start I felt welcomed by Pope Benedict as a son. In him I could see, to my great satisfaction, not only a professor but also a Pope who is an expert in the liturgy. I will never forget the emotion I felt in finding myself alone with him in the Sistine Chapel just after his election, or the emotion I experienced during the rites of the inauguration of his Petrine ministry. These rites remain fixed in my mind and heart, since I consider them the fullest and most successful icon which the liturgy has given of the Church in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. Thank you, Pope Benedict, for having approved those rites and for having celebrated them with God’s Holy People.
Marini is the author of A Challenging Reform - Realizing the Vision of the Liturgical Renewal (ISBN: 978-0-8146-3035-8).