Mario Aurelio Poli

Mario Aurelio Poli (; born 29 November 1947) is an Argentine prelate of the Catholic Church who was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 2013 to 2023. He was the Bishop of Santa Rosa from 2008 to 2013 and before that an auxiliary bishop in Buenos Aires from 2002 to 2008. Pope Francis, his predecessor in Buenos Aires, made him a cardinal in 2014.

Early life and career Mario Poli was born in Buenos Aires in 1947 as a son of Italian immigrants. He began his philosophical and theological studies in 1969 at the Inmaculada Concepción Seminary in Villa Devoto. He obtained his bachelor's degree in social services at the University of Buenos Aires and his doctor of theology degree at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. Poli was ordained a priest by Cardinal Juan Carlos Aramburu on 25 November 1978, and led the Parish of San Cayetano in Liniers for two years.

In 1992, the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires Antonio Quarracino appointed him Director of the Vocational Institute "Saint Joseph", a place of formation of future priests.

He was professor of ecclesiastical history and patrology at the Argentine Catholic University.

Bishop Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires on 8 February 2002, and Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Santa Rosa on 24 June 2008.

Poli opposed same-sex marriage in Argentina and in 2013 said that he would have a respectful but distant relationship with the administration of Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, a political stance similar to that of Bergoglio.

News of his appointment as archbishop of Buenos Aires was leaked to the press on 27 March 2013, two weeks after the post became vacant upon the election of Jorge Bergoglio to the papacy as Pope Francis. The leak was an embarrassment for Church officials. The Vatican announced Poli's appointment on 28 March and he was installed on 20 April at the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral. He received the pallium from Pope Francis in Rome on 29 June 2013.

Cardinal Poli was made a cardinal in the consistory of 22 February 2014 with the rank of Cardinal-Priest of San Roberto Bellarmino, the same titular assignment held by Pope Francis.

Poli delivered the homily for the Mass at the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral for the 2014 First National Government holiday. Poli quoted Francis and requested more political dialogue.

Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Buenos Aires on 26 May 2023.

Poli remained Ordinary for Catholics of the Eastern rites in Argentina until his resignation was accepted in November 2023.

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