Cardinal Francesco Marchisano has died at the age of 85.
The long-serving prelate passed away at around 10 a.m. Sunday in Urbe, northern Italy.
His funeral will be this Wednesday at 8 a.m. in the Vatican basilica. It will be presided by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, and the Holy Father will give the final rites of testimony and farewell.
Appointed cardinal at the 21 October 2003 Consistory, Cardinal Marchisano had exercised a variety of prominent roles in the Church, including president of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church as well as of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology.
Moreover, the archpriest emeritus had been vicar general for the Pope as well as president of the Fabric of St. Peter’s and of the Labor Office of the Apostolic See.
