Cardinal Roberto Tucci has died in Rome at the age of 93. He would have been 94 on April 19th.
Born in Naples in 1921, he entered the Society of Jesus at just 15. He was ordained a priest in 1950. While he was director of the Jesuit magazine 'La Civilta Cattolica,â? he was best known as the director of Vatican Radio from 1973 to 1985.
During that period he also served as organizer of papal visits outside Italy for Pope John Paul II. He accompanied the Polish pontiff on all but two of his trips. He became a cardinal in 2001.
Cardinal Tucci also had an important role during the Second Vatican Council. He helped develop important preparatory documents that would play a major role in the event. He insight was decisive in creating Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.
With the death of Cardinal Tucci, the College of Cardinals now has 224 members. Just 122 are eligible to vote in an eventual conclave.
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