Introduction
HE Msgr. Paolo Pezzi (Russian: Павел Пецци; born 8 August 1960) FSCB – also known as Pavel Pezzi – is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, currently serving as Latin Rite Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow (Russian Federation).
Biography
Early life and ministry
HE Msgr Paolo Pezzi was born in Russi, Italy on August 8, 1960. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome (1985–1990). He was ordained to the priesthood for the Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St.Charles Borromeo in 1990. He subsequently was awarded a Doctorate in Theology (Cattolici in Siberia, le origini, le persecuzioni, l’oggi) by the Pontifical Lateran University. He has worked in Russia since 1993. He was rector of the major seminary of Mary Queen of the Apostles in Saint Petersburg (2006).
Episcopacy
On September 21, 2007, Fr. Pezzi, until then rector of the major seminary of Mary Queen of the Apostles in Saint Petersburg, was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mother of God at Moscow by Pope Benedict XVI. He replaced the first Archbishop of the Archdiocese, Tadevush Kandrusievich. He was consecrated in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow on October 27, 2007 by Archbishop Kandrusievich, HE Msgr Antonio Mennini, Titular Archbishop of Ferentium and Apostolic nuncio to Russian Federation, and HE Msgr Joseph Werth SJ, Bishop of the Diocese of Transfiguration at Novosibirsk.