Francesco Savino

Francesco Savino (born 13 November 1954) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been bishop of Cassano all'Jonio since 2015. In May 2022, he was elected a vice president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. He is known familiarly as "Don Ciccio". While fulfilling assignments as a priest he continued his studies, completing a bachelor's degree in theology in 1992 and earning his licentiate in theology in 2000. In March 2000, he obtained his licentiate in anthropology. He served as director of the quarterly magazine , and also directed the series . He received his episcopal consecration on 2 May 2015 in the forecourt of the Basilica of the Holy Doctors Cosmos and Damian, where he had been rector since 1989, from Archbishop Francesco Cacucci of Bari-Bitonto, with Bishops Nunzio Galantino and Gastone Simoni as co-consecrators. He was installed in Cassano all'Jonio on 31 May. He was a member of the Episcopal Commission for the Service of Charity and Health of the Italian Episcopal Conference and a delegate of the Calabrian Episcopal Conference for the Pastoral Care of Health, Migration, and Charity. On 25 May 2022, Savino was elected to a five-year term as vice president for Southern Italy of the Italian Episcopal Conference. In June 2022, he visited Odessa on behalf of the Italian Episcopal Conference as part of a "caravan for peace" to appeal for dialogue between Ukraine and Russia and to express solidarity with victims of aggression. He said: "We all agree on one thing, to insist that we don't become accustomed to the conflict and that indifference does not prevail."

Following a shipwreck off the Calabrian coast in February 2023 that killed almost a hundred seeking to migrate to Italy, Savino visited the rescue site and denounced "prejudices that come from other places... ideological prejudices" that prevent orderly migration even though Calabria is "a region of solidarity, welcoming and hospitable". He noted migration from the region to northern Italy far exceeded immigration to Calabria from other countries. He said: "We all become Cain to the extent that we do not feel like guardians and responsible for these immigrant brothers of ours." Savino delivered the homily at a Mass celebrated on 6 September 2025 at the Church of the Gesù for a congregation of LGBT Catholic pilgrims gathered in Rome to participate in the 2025 Jubilee. To extended applause he said: "The Jubilee was the time to free the oppressed and restore dignity to those who had been denied it. Brothers and sisters, I say this with emotion: It is time to restore dignity to everyone, especially to those who have been denied it."

Writings