Bishop Gerardo Antonazzo

Bishop Gerardo Antonazzo, Bishop of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo, was born on May 20, 1956, in Supersano, in the province of Lecce and the Diocese of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca. He entered the diocesan minor seminary of Ugento in 1968, attended the gymnasium at the seminary of Lecce and the three years of lyceum at the minor seminary of Taranto. In October 1975 he was sent to the Roman Major Seminary, where he completed his philosophical and theological studies. He was ordained a priest for Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca on September 12, 1981, and in 1984 obtained a licentiate in sacred scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He then served as animator at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary (1981-1987); rector of the episcopal seminary of Ugento and episcopal delegate for family ministry (1987-1995); a member of the presbyteral council, of the college of consultors and of the diocesan pastoral council from 1989; director of the school of theology for pastoral workers from 1990; lecturer in sacred scripture from 1990; episcopal vicar for the clergy and consecrated life (1990-1993); episcopal delegate for youth ministry and episcopal vicar for pastoral care (1994-2003); parish priest of Santa Sofia in Corsano (1995-2004); parish priest of Sant'Andrea Apostolo in Presicce (2004-2010); vicar general from 2010; and rector of the basilica-shrine of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae from 2012. He served as diocesan administrator of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca from April 1 to December 15, 2010. He was named a chaplain of honour of His Holiness on June 16, 2007. On January 22, 2013, he was appointed Bishop of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo. He received episcopal ordination on April 8, 2013, with Dominique François Joseph Mamberti as principal consecrator and Adriano Bernardini and Vito Angiuli as co-consecrators.