Ramazzini was born in
Guatemala City, and he was ordained to the presbyterate on June 27, 1971, for service to the
Archdiocese of Guatemala. He earned a
Doctor of Canon Law (J.C.D.) at the
Pontifical Gregorian University at the
Vatican in
Rome. He was a
Professor and
Rector of the Major Seminary of Guatemala and Pastor of one of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese of Guatemala. On December 15, 1988,
Pope John Paul II appointed then-Father Ramazzini as the Bishop of San Marcos. He was consecrated by the Pope on January 6, 1989. The principal co-consecrators were Archbishops
Edward Idris Cassidy and
José Tomás Sánchez. As a priest and bishop Ramazzini has been involved in social justice issues, especially in the area of protecting the rights of indigenous people. He has fought against multinational corporations who come to Guatemala for its mineral wealth while destroying the countryside. Bishop Ramazzini has empowered the poor and marginalized and fostered civil courage to fight against the injustice they experience. He has received many death threats because of his work, On 5 October 2019, Pope Francis made him
Cardinal Priest of
San Giovanni Evangelista a Spinaceto. He was made a member of the
Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life on 21 February 2020 and of the
Pontifical Commission for Latin America on 20 April 2020. He participated as a
cardinal elector in the
2025 papal conclave that elected
Pope Leo XIV. ==See also==