Early life and ordination Giovanni Benelli was born 12 May 1921 in Poggiole di
Vernio, Tuscany, to Luigi and Maria (née Simoni) Benelli.
Baptised the day after his birth, on 13 May, he was the youngest of his parents' five surviving children, and his uncle Guido was a revered
Franciscan friar. Benelli entered the
Seminary of
Pistoia in 1931, and then attended the
Pontifical Gregorian University and the
Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome. He received the clerical
tonsure on 23 December 1939, and was eventually
ordained a
priest on 31 October 1943 by Bishop Giuseppe Debernardi. At age 22, he had not yet reached the canonical age of 24 for priestly ordination, and therefore was given a special dispensation. Benelli finished his studies at the Gregorian in 1947, and also undertook
pastoral work in Rome until 1950.
Roman Curia His abilities were noticed by the Church, becoming
private secretary in 1946 to Deputy Secretary of State
Giovanni Battista Montini. and the "Vatican Kissinger" in the
Vatican for his aggressive and almost
authoritarian tenure as Substitute of the Secretariat of State, including having the more senior
Curialists channel business through him. Benelli was promoted to
Archbishop of Florence on 3 June 1977, and was created
Cardinal-Priest of
Santa Prisca by Paul VI in the
consistory of 27 June 1977.
Papabile Upon the deaths of both
Pope Paul VI and
Pope John Paul I, Benelli was considered the leading moderate
candidate to succeed them, because of his close ties with Paul and his Italian heritage. He was one of the
cardinal electors in the
conclaves of
August and
October 1978. During the August conclave, Benelli supported
Albino Luciani, the eventual winner, who became
Pope John Paul I. In the October conclave in 1978, he was one of two leading Italian candidates in a tie with
Giuseppe Siri to succeed John Paul I, but was defeated with fellow Italian candidate Siri on 16 October by
Karol Wojtyła, who became
Pope John Paul II.
Later life and death Benelli continued in his capacity of Cardinal and Archbishop of Florence until 26 October 1982 when he died of a sudden heart attack in
Florence, at age 61. His
funeral Mass was celebrated by Cicognani's successor,
Agostino Casaroli, and his remains were buried in
Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral. == In other media ==