Cardinal Fernando Filoni was born on April 15, 1946 in Manduria, Italy.
He was ordained a Priest on July 3, 1970 for Nardò, Italy. On January 17, 2001 he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Volturnum, and Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq and Jordan. He was ordained a Bishop on March 19, 2001. A few years later on February 25, 2006, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Philippines.
On June 9, 2007 he was appointed as Substitute (Sostituto) of the Secretariat of State, and on May 10, 2011 he was named Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, a position that he ceased upon the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013.
He was appointed Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio on February 18, 2012, and elevated to Cardinal. He was installed on February 26, 2012.
