Domenico Battaglia

Domenico "Mimmo" Battaglia (born 20 January 1963) is an Italian Catholic prelate who has been Archbishop of Naples since 2020. He was previously Bishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de' Goti from 2016 to 2020. He was made a cardinal on 7 December 2024 by Pope Francis, the last nominated before Pope Francis's death.

Biography

Domenico Battaglia was born on 20 January 1963 in Satriano in the province of Catanzaro. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Regional Seminary San Pio X in Catanzaro. After being ordained a priest on 6 February 1988, he was Rector of the Archiepiscopal Preparatory Seminary of Catanzaro and a member of the Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace from 1989 to 1992, parish administrator in Sant'Elia, parish priest of Madonna del Carmine in Catanzaro, Director of the Diocesan Office for Missionary Cooperation between Churches, and parish priest in Satriano from 1992 to 1999. He was collaborator of the Shrine of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Torre di Ruggiero, parish collaborator in Montepaone Lido and administrator of the parish of Santa Maria di Altavilla in Satriano. From 2006 to 2015 he was National President of FICT. He was the first priest of the diocese to become a bishop since 1960. He received his episcopal consecration on 3 September from Archbishop Vincenzo Bertolone and was installed on 2 October. He chose as his episcopal motto "Confide Surge Vocat Te" (Take heart, Stand Up, He is Calling) from Mark 10:49. While a bishop, he continued his work as a "street priest", which earned him the sobriquet "Bergoglio of the South".

Pope Francis appointed Battaglia as Archbishop of Naples on 12 December 2020. His installation was on 2 February 2021.

On 4 November 2024, Francis announced he plans to make Battaglia a cardinal on 7 December. On 7 December 2024, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him as a member of the order of cardinal priests the title of San Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino.

He participated as a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.