Filippo Iannone (born 13 December 1957) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts since April 2018. He has been a bishop since 2001 and an archbishop since 2012. He is a member of the Carmelites.
Education and early career
Filippo Iannone was born on 13 December 1957 in Naples. On 1 August 1976, he entered the Carmelites. He was a novice at the San Martino ai Monti in Rome and then studied at the Santa Maria del Carmine in Naples. He later studied at the San Luigi Papal Theological Seminary of Southern Italy for his bachelor’s degree in theology and at the Pontifical Lateran University, where he earned a doctorate in civil and canon law. After a course of study at the Roman Rota, he gained the title of avvocato rotale. He took his first vows on 1 October 1977 and his final vows on 15 October 1980. He received his priestly ordination on 26 June 1982.[1]
He was associate professor of canon law at the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Southern Italy and a visiting professor at several other institutions. Within the Carmelite order he worked in the regional Treasury Commissioner's office from 1985 to 1988 and for the national body from 1988 to 1991. From 1988 to 1994 he was President of the Commission for the Revision of the Constitution. For the Archdiocese of Naples, he held the position of Defender of the Faith in the Regional Court from 1987 to 1990; and Judicial vicar at the Naples Diocese Tribunal from 1990 to 1994. He was episcopal vicar for part of the Archdiocese from 1994 to 1996 and vicar general from 1996 to 2001.[1]
On 31 January 2012, Pope Benedict named him vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome, elevating him to the rank of archbishop.[4] His appointment to that position was requested by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the pope's vicar for Rome, who had himself come to Rome from Naples and knew Iannone's work there.[5]
On 11 November 2017, Pope Francis named him adjunct secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts,[6] the first to hold that title since 2000.[5] On 7 April 2018, Pope Francis named him President of that body,[7] which was unusual in that he was promoted above the Council's secretary, Archbishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta.[5] On 5 December 2020, Pope Francis named him a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.[8]
