Mauro Gambetti

Mauro Gambetti (born 27 October 1965) is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica, Vicar General for the Vatican City State, and president of the Fabric of Saint Peter since 2021. He was consecrated a titular archbishop on 22 November 2020 just before Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal on 28 November 2020.

A member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual since 1992, Gambetti held senior leadership positions in the order beginning in 2009 and served as General Custos of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis in Assisi from 2013 to 2020.

Biography Mauro Gambetti was born in Castel San Pietro Terme, Italy, on 27 October 1965. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Bologna. He joined Order of Friars Minor Conventals in September 1992 and took his final vows on 20 September 1998.

He obtained a bachelor's degree in theology at the Theological Institute of Assisi and a licentiate in theological anthropology at the Theological Faculty of Central Italy in Florence. He was ordained a priest on 8 January 2000 in Longiano. He was animator of youth and vocation ministry for Emilia-Romagna there and, from 2005 to 2009, also leader and animator of the religious community.

From 2009 to 2013 he also served as president of the Italian Conference of Major Superiors (CISM) for Emilia Romagna and vice-president of the Intermediterranean Conference of Provincial Ministers (CIMP). Since 2010 he has been regional assistant of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) for Emilia-Romagna. He was elected President of the Intermediterranean Federation of Provincial Ministers of the Friars Minor Conventual in September 2017. Gambetti is the first Conventual Franciscan to be made a cardinal since 1861. His term as General Custos was due to expire in 2021 but he was instead succeeded in that position on 12 November by Father Marco Moroni. As cardinals are required to be bishops, he was consecrated a bishop on 22 November in the Basilica of Assisi by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, becoming titular archbishop of Thisiduo. At that consistory, Pope Francis made him cardinal deacon of Santissimo Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano. Gambetti became the third youngest member of the College of Cardinals. On 16 December he was named a member of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

On 20 February 2021, Pope Francis appointed him archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica, Vicar General for the Vatican State, and president of the Fabric of Saint Peter. On 12 March 2021, the Vatican Secretariat of State ended the private celebration of Mass at the basilica's side altars and restricted the use of the Traditional Latin Mass to Clementine Chapel in the crypt of the basilica.

On 4 November 2021, Pope Francis name Gambetti a member of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State. His membership was not renewed when Pope Leo named the Commission's members on 15 October 2025.

In December 2021, Pope Francis named Gambetti chair of the newly created Fratelli tutti Vatican Foundation, formed to extend the work of the Fabric of Saint Peter, created at Gambetti's suggestion.

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