Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy dies at death

Olga Sakun – Vatican City

In Newcastle, Australia, died 96-year-old Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, who headed the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and served in various diplomatic missions of the Holy See.

Edward Cassidy was born on July 5, 1924 in Sydney. He became a priest in 1949, after studying at Springwood Seminary and St. Patrick’s College in Manly. For two years he served in one of the parishes of the Diocese of Wagga-Wagga, then went to Rome to study canon law and study at the Pontifical Church Academy, which trains Vatican diplomats. Served in the apostolic nunciatures in India, Ireland and Argentina; in 1970 he was consecrated bishop, after which he served as prununcio in Bangladesh and as apostolic delegate in Burma. In 1979 he was appointed Apostolic Delegate to South Africa and Apostolic Pronuncio to Lesotho.

In 1988 he joined the Vatican State Secretariat as Undersecretary of State for General Affairs, and in 1989 he headed the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. He held this post until 2001. Edward Idris Cassidy was ordained in 1991 by Pope John Paul II.