Jean-Louis Tauran

Jean-Louis Tauran was a French cardinal of the Catholic Church who served in various diplomatic and administrative positions in the Holy See. He was ordained a priest in 1969 and entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1975. He worked as a secretary of the nunciatures to the Dominican Republic and Lebanon, and as an official of the Council for the Public Affairs of the Church. He participated in several international conferences and missions on behalf of the Vatican. In 1990, he was appointed as Secretary for Relations with States, a position equivalent to foreign minister. He was consecrated as titular Archbishop of Telephte by Pope John Paul II in 1991. He was involved in many negotiations and agreements between the Holy See and various countries, such as Israel, Vietnam, China, and Russia. He also dealt with issues such as human rights, religious freedom, nuclear disarmament, and the European integration. In 2003, he was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II and assigned the title of S. Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine. He became the Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church, overseeing the Vatican Secret Archives and the Vatican Library. In 2007, he was appointed as President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, a body that fosters dialogue and cooperation with other religions. He promoted mutual understanding and respect among Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and other faiths. He visited many countries and met with many religious leaders, such as the Dalai Lama, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. He also organized several interreligious meetings and events, such as the Assisi gatherings for peace. In 2013, he became the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, a role that involves administering the temporal goods of the Holy See during the vacancy of the papal office. He was also the Cardinal Protodeacon from 2011 to 2014, and as such he announced the election of Pope Francis to the world on March 13, 2013. He died on July 5, 2018 in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was receiving treatment for Parkinson's disease. He was buried in Lyon, France, his ancestral home. He was remembered as a man of dialogue, peace, and service to the Church and humanity.