Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, Cardinal Deacon of San Cesario in Palatio, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People has turned 80 on Saturday, 3 February 2018. Therefore, in accordance to the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he can no longer vote in a future Papal Conclave.
Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio has served the Church for many years in the diplomatic service, as the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio of many countries from 1985 to 1989 (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands) and 1989 to 1994 (Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mali) and then later as the Apostolic Nuncio to the same countries from 1994 to 1997 before his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon (1997 to 2001) and Kuwait (1997-2001).
Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 2001, and he was appointed as the President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, a position he held from 2003 to 2017. He was made a Prince of the Church, as the Cardinal Deacon of San Cesario in Palatio at the Consistory of 18 February 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, the Vicar of Christ.
We pray for Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, that even in his retirement years, he may continue to inspire the faithful and the Church, and keep strongly the teachings of the Church. May he have a good health and be blessed all the days of his life. Ad multos annos!
Currently, there are 119 Cardinal-electors in the College of Cardinals, which means that there is 1 vacancy for Cardinal-electors available at the moment. The next Cardinal to age out will be Cardinal Paolo Romeo, Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Palermo (Italy) on 20 February 2018.