Silvano Piovanelli

Silvano Piovanelli was born in Borgo San Lorenzo, in the province of Florence, on 21 February 1924.[1] He studied at the seminary of Florence from 1935 to 1947, and was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa on 13 July 1947.[2] He then served as a curate in the industrial town of Rifredi until October 1948, when he became vice-rector of minor seminary of Florence.[3] He resumed his pastoral ministry in 1961 as a parish priest in Castelfiorentino, and was raised to the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness on 26 October 1966.[1] From 1979 to 1982, he was vicar general of the Archdiocese of Florence.[3]

On 28 May 1982, Piovanelli was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Florence and Titular Bishop of Tubunae in Mauretania by Pope John Paul II.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following 24 June from Cardinal Giovanni Benelli, with Bishops Antonio Bagnoli and Giovanni Bianchi serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral-Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore.[2] He selected as his episcopal motto: "In Verbo Tuo".[4] Following the unexpected death of Cardinal Benelli in October 1982, Piovanelli was promoted to Archbishop of Florence on 18 March 1983.[2] John Paul II created him Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria delle Grazie a Via Trionfale in the consistory of 25 May 1985.[1]

After an 18-year-long tenure, he retired as Archbishop on 21 March 2001.[2] He lost the right to participate in a papal conclave upon reaching the age of 80 on 21 February 2004.[1]

Piovanelli died in his sleep on the morning of 9 July 2016 at the age of 92, after three months hospitalisation in a Florence retirement home for priests.[5] Days before his death, he was telephoned by Pope Francis on the pontiff's visit to the city.[6] His funeral Mass was celebrated in the late afternoon of 12 July 2016 by cardinal Giuseppe Betori and his remains were buried in Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral.