Bishop of Trapani
Bishop Pietro Maria Fragnelli, Bishop of Trapani, was born on March 9, 1952, in Crispiano, in the Archdiocese of Taranto. He completed his lyceum studies at the seminary of Taranto and the regional seminary of Molfetta. A student of the Roman Major Seminary, he obtained bachelor's degrees in philosophy and in theology from the Lateran University. He was ordained a priest for Taranto on June 26, 1977. He subsequently obtained a licentiate in biblical studies from the Biblical Institute in Rome and a degree in philosophy from the La Sapienza University of Rome. He is the author of a commentary on Sirach and of numerous articles published in the Taranto diocesan weekly Nuovo Dialogo. He served as parochial vicar of Sant'Antonio in Taranto, diocesan assistant of the Italian Catholic Federation of University Students and teacher of religion at the classical lyceum of Taranto (1979-1983); director of the diocesan weekly Nuovo Dialogo (1982-1987); parish priest of Santa Croce in Taranto (1983-1986); lecturer in biblical exegesis at the regional seminary of Molfetta (1983-1986); an official of the Secretariat of State (1987-1996); spiritual father of the Roman Major Seminary (1991-1996); and rector of the same seminary (1996-2003). On February 14, 2003, he was appointed Bishop of Castellaneta. He received episcopal ordination on March 29, 2003, at Castellaneta, with Camillo Ruini as principal consecrator and Benigno Luigi Papa and Martino Scarafile as co-consecrators. On September 24, 2013, he was appointed Bishop of Trapani, and he was installed on November 3, 2013.