Francis Arinze

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
Term 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 by Grégoire-Pierre XV Agagianian
Consecration	29 August 1965 by Charles Heerey
Created Cardinal	25 May 1985
Rank	Cardinal-Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1932-11-01) 1 November 1932 (age 84) 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	${{{coat_of_arms_alt}}}$

Francis Arinze (born 1 November 1932) is a NigerianCardinal 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. He is the current 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 considered papabile before the 2005 papal conclave, which elected Benedict XVI.

Arinze was born in Eziowelle, Anambra, Nigeria. A convert from an African traditional religion, he was baptized on his ninth birthday (1 November 1941) by Father Michael Tansi, who was beatified by John Paul II in 1998. His parents later converted to Catholicism. At age 15, he entered All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha from which he graduated and earned a philosophy degree in 1950. His father was initially opposed to his entering the seminary, but after seeing how much Francis enjoyed it, he encouraged him. Arinze stayed at All Hallows until 1953 to teach. In 1955, he went to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urban University, where he ultimately earned a doctorate in sacred theology summa cum laude. On 23 November 1958, at the chapel of the university, Arinze was ordained to the priesthood by Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian, pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and future cardinal.