Archbishop of Matera-Irsina
Archbishop-elect Benoni Ambarus was born on 22 September 1974 in Somusca-Bacau, Romania. After attending the seminary of Iaşi, Romania, and the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology. He was subsequently awarded a licentiate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2000 for the diocese of Iaşi and incardinated in the diocese of Rome in 2007. He has held the following offices: educator in the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary (2001-2004); collaborator in the parish of San Frumenzio ai Prati Fiscali, Rome (2004-2007); deputy parish priest of San Frumenzio ai Prati Fiscali, Rome (2007-2010) and of Santa Maria Causa Nostrae Laetitiae, Rome (2010-2012); parish priest of Ss. Elisabetta e Zaccaria, Rome (2012-2021); and deputy director (2017) and subsequently director (2018) of Caritas Rome. On 20 March 2021 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Rome and assigned the titular See of Tronto. He received episcopal consecration the following 2 May. In the Vicariate of Rome he exercised his episcopal ministry as chargé in the area of the Deaconry of Charity, director of Health Pastoral Care and Prison Pastoral Care, and president of the Culto Caritas Foundation, Rome. Within the Italian Episcopal Conference he is secretary of the Commission for Migration, while in the Regional Episcopal Conference, he is bishop delegate for Migrations and bishop delegate for Charity. Msgr. Benoni Ambarus was born on 22 September 1974 in Somusca-Bacau, Romania. From 1990 to 1996 he attended the seminary of Iaşi, Romania, and from November 1996 he continued his seminary formation at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology. He obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (2001). On 29 June 2000 he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Iaşi (Romania). From 2001 to 2007 he exercised his priestly ministry in Rome, as an educator at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary (2001-2004) and as a collaborator in the parish of San Frumenzio ai Prati Fiscali (2004-2007). In 2007 he was incardinated in the diocese of Rome. From 2007 to 2010 he served as deputy parish priest of San Frumenzio ai Prati Fiscali and from 2010 to 2012 deputy parish priest of Santa Maria Causa Nostrae Laetitiae in Torre Gaia. In 2017 he was deputy director of Caritas Rome. From 2012 until now he has served as parish priest of S.S. Elisabetta and Zaccaria in Valle Muricana and, since 2018, director of Caritas Rome.