Lorenzo Frana, also known as Renzo Frana,[1] (13 October 1926 – 7 November 2005) was an Italian priest of the Catholic Church who was the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO from 1975 to 2002
Biography
editLorenzo Frana was born in Gandino (Bergamo), Italy. He attended a technical school and earned a diploma as an expert dyer.[2] After being ordained a priest, in order to prepare for a diplomatic career, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1959.[3] His early assignments as a member of the diplomatic service of the Holy See included stints as auditor in Great Britain[4] and as chargé d’affaires in the United States.[5]
In 1975 Pope Paul VI named him Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO.[citation needed][a] Throughout his tenure in that position he invited a variety of Church prelates to head the Holy See's delegation to UNESCO's annual meeting, either an Apostolic Nuncio, an official of the Secretariat of State, or a senior official of the Roman Curia.[7] Frana allowed himself to take this role only once. In anticipation of his retirement the next year, he delivered the Holy See's principal address to a UNESCO meeting in October 2001.[8] His tenure as Permanent Observer ended with the appointment of his successor on 11 May 2002.[9][b]
He retired to Gandino where he died in a retirement home on 7 November 2005, at the age of 79.[2]
Frana was an expert on sacred art. He organized an exhibit for UNESCO of crèche figures and then used it as the basis for a museum established in his home town in 1989: il Museo del presepio in Gandino.[2][11]
Notes
edit- ^ Though one Vatican document refers to him as "Archbishop Lorenzo Frana",[6] there is no evidence he was ever appointed or consecrated a bishop. Other sources that would have noted that fact if true do not.[1][2]
- ^ The day before naming Frana's successor, Pope John Paul II greeted Frana by his title and thanked him for his years of service in an address to an association of lay Catholics that supported the Church's engagement with the organization.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b Licht, Daniel (25 December 2019). "La messe en solitaire de Mgr Frana. Depuis 15 ans, l'observateur du Vatican à l'Unesco se livre à ce rituel quotidien". Libération (in French). Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Irranca, Franco (8 November 2005). "Gandino in lutto, addio a monsignor Frana". Eco di Bergamo (in Italian). Retrieved 20 August 2019 – via Gandino.it.
- ^ "Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica, Ex-alunni 1950 – 1999" (in Italian). Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ "Estero". La Civiltà Cattolica (in Italian). 20 March 1971. pp. 593–4. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
- ^ "Docs from the William J. Varoise files" (PDF). Ford Library and Museum. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
- ^ "The 29th UNESCO General Conference". Vatican. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ "La participation du Saint Siège: les discours du Saint-Siège au débat de politique générale". Les Amis du Saint Siège auprès de l'UNESCO (in French). Retrieved 7 September 2019.
- ^ "L'UNESCO tel "l'Aréopage du monde" en vue de la paix: Mgr Lorenzo Frana à la 31e session de la Conférence Générale de l'UNESCO". Les Amis du Saint Siège auprès de l'UNESCO (in French). 19 October 2001.
Au cours des 26 ans passés comme Observateur permanent du Saint-Siège auprès de l'UNESCO
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 11.05.2002" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 11 May 2002.
- ^ "Address of John Paul II to the International Catholic Center for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)". Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 10 May 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ "About museum a bit". Le Cinque Terre della Val Gandino. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
