Bernard César Augustin Barsi (4 August 1942 – 28 December 2022) was a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was the archbishop of Monaco from 2000 to 2020.


Bernard Barsi
Archbishop of Monaco
Appointed16 May 2000
Term ended21 January 2020
PredecessorJoseph-Marie Sardou
SuccessorDominique-Marie David
Orders
Ordination28 June 1969
by Jean Mouisset
Consecration8 October 2000
by Marc-Armand Lallier
Personal details
Born(1942-08-04)4 August 1942
Died28 December 2022(2022-12-28) (aged 80)
Nice, France
NationalityFrench
MottoINSTAURARE OMNIA IN CHRISTO

Biography

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Barsi was born on 4 August 1942 in Nice, France. He was ordained a priest on 28 June 1969.[1]

After his ordination, he served as a vicar at the parish of Saint-Etienne de Tinée in Nice from 1969 until 1972. From 1972 to 1982 he worked in the vocations office of the diocese. He was appointed pastor of La Trinité parish, serving in that capacity from 1982 to 1991. He was made vicar general of the diocese of Nice in 1991, and served in that position until 2000 with a brief interruption from 1997 to 1998, when he was administrator of the Diocese of Rennes.[1][2]

Barsi was appointed the archbishop of Monaco on 16 May 2000.[1] He was consecrated a bishop on 8 October of the same year. His principal consecrator was Jean Bonfils, S.M.A., Bishop of Nice, who was assisted by François Saint-Macary, the Archbishop of Rennes, and Joseph-Marie Sardou, S.C.J., then the Archbishop Emeritus of Monaco.[3]

In 2003 he oversaw a Vatican investigation into abuse of choirboys in the 1970s in Rome. The result was inconclusive.[citation needed]

Barsi officiated at the funeral of Prince Rainier III in April 2005,[4] and on 2 July 2011, he presided over the wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock.[5]

Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 21 January 2020.[6]

Barsi died of a heart attack on 28 December 2022, at the age of 80.[7]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Rinunce e nomine, 16.05.2000" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 16 May 2000. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Archevêché" (in French). Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  3. ^ Cheney, David M (20 February 2011). "Archbishop Bernard César Augustin Barsi". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Trauerfeier für Rainier: 'Jetzt fühlen wir uns alle verwaist'". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 15 April 2005. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  5. ^ Pignarre, Christine (1 July 2011). "Monaco et la religion catholique". Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 21.01.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. January 21, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  7. ^ Mons. Bernard Barsi, Arcivescovo emerito di Monaco, è deceduto (in Italian)
  8. ^ Remise de décorations Ordre de Saint Charles et Grimaldi Archived April 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (French)
  9. ^ Sovereign Ordonnance n° 3.537 du 17 novembre 2011 portant promotions ou nominations dans l’Ordre de Grimaldi (French).
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Archbishop of Monaco
16 May 2000 – 21 January 2020
Succeeded by