The Pope has appointed Bishop Luigi Renna as metropolitan archbishop of Catania, Italy, transferring him from the episcopal see of Cerignola-Ascoli Satriano.
He replaces the retiring Archbishop Salvatore Gristina.
Archbishop-elect Luigi Renna was born on January 23, 1966, in Corato, in the province of Bari and archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie. He studied for his ministerial priesthood at the Pius XI Pontifical Regional Seminary of Apulia in Molfetta. He was awarded a licentiate in moral theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University (1993), and a doctorate at the Pontifical Lateran University (2003).
He was ordained a priest on 7eptember 7, 1991, for the diocese of Andria, where he held the following positions: parish vicar of the Blessed Sacrament in Andria; vice-rector and then rector of the Episcopal Seminary in Andria and teacher of Catholic religion at the Classical Lyceum; director of the diocesan Vocations Centre; director of the diocesan Training School for socio-political commitment; editor of the diocesan monthly magazine Insieme; vice-postulator in the cause of beatification of the Venerable Giuseppe Di Donna; canon of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Andria; director of the diocesan Library of Saint Thomas Aquinas; director of the diocesan Archive of Saint Luke the Evangelist; director of the School of Formation for Pastoral Workers; rector of the Pius XI Pontifical Regional Seminary of Molfetta.
On October 1, 2015, he was appointed bishop of Cerignola-Ascoli Satriano, and received episcopal consecration on January 2, 2016.
Since 2018 he has served as secretary of the Apulian Episcopal Conference. Within the Italian Episcopal Conference, he is president of the Commission for social problems, employment, justice, and peace.
According to legend, Christianity was first preached in Catania by St. Beryllus. During the persecution of Decius, the virgin St. Agatha suffered martyrdom. At the same period or a little later the Bishop of Catania was Everus, who is mentioned in the acts of the martyrs of Leontini (303). This same year is marked by the martyrdom of the Deacon Euplius and others.
