Bergoglio Appoints Bologna School Disciple as Master of Ceremonies

Don Diego Ravelli, the Pope's new master of ceremonies, with Francis.

(Rome) Next Sunday, Pope Francis will consecrate his previous master of ceremonies Guido Marini as bishop.  On August 29th, Marini was appointed Bishop of Tortona in Liguria by Francis.  The "most modern" of the previous Masters will be his successor.

Yesterday the Holy See announced the appointment of Marini's successor as the Pope's Master of Ceremonies.  Don Diego Giovanni Ravelli assumes this position.  Ravelli has been the ceremonial officer in the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Pope since 2006, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI.  He had already been called in by the then master of ceremonies Piero Marini as an auxiliary MC.  The appointment as ceremonial took place under the leadership of Piero Marini.  Ravelli is therefore also considered to be the “most modern” among the ceremonies.  What is meant is that he is closer to the style of his teacher Piero Marini, a Bugnini student.  This style is seen as “sober” and, above all, not associated with any attachment to liturgical tradition.  As early as 2017, Ravelli was under discussion as a possible successor to Guido Marini.  An appointment date has even been passed around, December 7th of that year.  Four years later, the time has come.

Don Ravelli comes from the Archdiocese of Milan.  He was ordained a priest in 1991 for the Priestly Association of Priests of the Crucified Jesus.  In 1998 he was called to the Apostolic Alms Administration.  His incardination in the suburbicarian diocese of Velletri-Segni should also fall during this time.  He also studied pedagogy at the Pontifical Salesian University.

He studied liturgical sciences at the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo, where he received his doctorate in 2010.  In liturgical questions there is no getting around Sant’Anselmo under Pope Francis.

In 2013 he was appointed office manager of the Apostolic Alms Administration by Pope Francis.

Don Ravelli has been papal master of ceremonies since yesterday and is therefore also responsible for the papal choir of the Sistine Chapel.

In 2019, Pope Francis incorporated the choir, which organizes the papal liturgical celebrations musically, into the Office for the Pope's liturgical celebrations.

Also yesterday the Vatican diplomat Don Cristiano Antonietti, Nunciature Secretary who works in the General Affairs Department of the State Secretariat, was appointed Papal Ceremonial.  It takes up the space vacated by Ravelli's promotion.

 Text: Giuseppe Nardi

 Image: VaticanMedia (screenshot)

Trans: Tancred@hotmail.com

AMDG