Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor Cesare Di Pietro, until now auxiliary bishop of Messina and a figure closely linked to ecumenism and interreligious dialogue in Sicily, as the new bishop of the Italian diocese of Locri-Gerace.
The appointment comes after the Pontiff accepted the resignation of Monsignor Francesco Oliva from the pastoral governance of the Calabrian diocese.
Di Pietro, born in Messina in 1964 and a priest since 1997, developed much of his career in institutional spheres of the Church. He served as secretary to Archbishop Giovanni Marra, an official of the Congregation for Bishops in Rome, rector of the Messina seminary, and professor of Church History. In 2018, Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of Messina.
“An open Church as Pope Francis wants it”
From his first public interventions as bishop, Di Pietro made clear his alignment with the ecclesial model promoted by the previous pontificate.
In his first press conference after his episcopal appointment, he defended “an open Church as Pope Francis wants it,” an expression that set the tone for his subsequent pastoral activity.
His profile became especially associated with interreligious dialogue and ecumenism, areas in which he has held responsibilities within the Sicilian Church.
Regular presence at Islamic celebrations
In recent years, Di Pietro has taken part repeatedly in events organized by the Muslim community of Messina.
In May 2019, he attended the Iftar of Ramadan held at the city’s Islamic Center. After the meeting, he stated:
“Today we have lived a beautiful moment united by fraternity.”
In 2023, he again participated in the Muslim celebrations of Eid al-Fitr. On that occasion, he told those present:
“Here I feel at home.”
He also linked the Islamic feast with the sacrifice of Abraham, whom he described as “our father in faith.”
The then-auxiliary bishop’s presence at these events was not sporadic. In June 2024, he again attended the celebration of Eid al-Adha organized by the Islamic community of Messina.
An imam lighting a Christmas light in a Catholic church
During Christmas 2025, Di Pietro invited Imam Mohamed Refaat to take part in an event held inside the church of Maria Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani in Messina, where both jointly lit a Christmas lantern.
According to the SIR news agency, the bishop stated:
“It is a deep joy for the Church of Messina to share the Light of Christmas with the Islamic community.”
He added that the gesture represented “a fraternal friendship” built “around the crib of Jesus Christ.”
“Protestants have much to teach us”
The new bishop of Locri-Gerace has also shown a strongly marked ecumenical profile in relation to Protestant communities.
In a video published in January 2025 during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Di Pietro praised the “beautiful, rich, and fruitful witness” of various Protestant experiences.
He even stated that some Christian confessions “have much to teach us, even us Catholics.”
In the same intervention, he defined the fraternity experienced as “the essence of Christianity.”
A profile fully aligned with the previous pontificate
In addition to his ecumenical and interreligious activity, Di Pietro holds relevant positions within the Italian ecclesial structure. He is currently secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Liturgy of the Italian Episcopal Conference and regional delegate for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue in Sicily.
With this appointment, Leo XIV entrusts the diocese of Locri-Gerace to a bishop with a clearly institutional profile, trained in Rome and closely identified with the language of fraternity, openness, and dialogue promoted during the pontificate of Francis.