Francis Arinze

Francis Arinze (born 1 November 1932) is a Nigerian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, having served as prefect from 2002 to 2008.

His Eminence Francis Arinze
Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
See	Velletri-Segni
Appointed	1 October 2002
Reign ended	9 December 2008
Predecessor	Jorge Arturo Augustin Medina Estévez
Successor	Antonio Cañizares Llovera
Other posts	Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri-Segni
Orders
Ordination	23 November 1958
Consecration	29 August 1965 by Charles Heerey
Created Cardinal	25 May 1985
Rank	Cardinal-Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1932-11-01) 1 November 1932 Onitsha, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian, Vatican City
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Coadjutor Bishop of Onitsha (1965–1967) Titular Bishop of Fissiana (1965–1967) Archbishop of Onitsha (1967–1985) Pro-Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (1984–1985) Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giovanni della Pigna (1985–1996) President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (1985–2002) Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni della Pigna (1996–2005)
Motto	Regnum Christi floreat (May the Kingdom of Christ flourish)
Coat of arms

He is the Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni (succeeding Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI) since 2005. Arinze was one of the principal advisors to Pope John Paul II, and was thought papabile before the 2005 papal conclave, which elected Benedict XVI.