HE Msgr. Gherardo Gambelli
Born on: 23-06-1969 In Viareggio (Lucca)
As a boy and then in his youth he lived with his family in Castelfiorentino, where the parish priests were first the future Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli and then Don Giuliano Nencioni; Gherardo was active in the parish Catholic Action and developed his vocation to the priesthood starting from his service as an educator in the ACR.
After graduating from high school, he entered the Florentine Archbishop Major Seminary as a student, where he completed his theological studies.
He was ordained a priest in Florence by Archbishop Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli on 02.06.1996.
Coat of arms of His Excellency Monsignor Gherardo Gambelli
He continued his theological education with specialization studies in Biblical Theology, obtaining the academic degree of Licentiate from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 2000; during his academic career he spent a semester in Jerusalem to take courses at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum and, for the study of modern Hebrew, the ULPAN. He concluded his biblical studies by obtaining a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Theological Faculty of Central Italy in 2007.
During these years he also carried out pastoral ministry as Parish Vicar at S. Stefano in Pane in Rifredi from 01.08.1996 to 23.09.2007; subsequently, from 23 September 2007 to 10 September 2011 he was parish priest “in solidum” moderator of the parish of the Immaculate Conception and S. Martino in Montughi.
In September 2011 he asked to be sent as a missionary as a “fidei donum” priest to N'Djamena, with an agreement between the Archdiocese of Florence and the Archdiocese of Chad, which saw him committed from 10 September 2011 to 31 December 2022.
His apostolate in the Archdiocese of N'Djamena took place from 2011 to 2017, with the following roles: parish priest of Sainte Joséphine Bakhita d'Atrone 1 in N'Djamena, professor of Sacred Scripture at the St Luc de Bakara National Major Seminary; diocesan head of vocational pastoral care and secretary of the Episcopal Commission for vocations; member of the College of Consultors (2013-2016), chaplain of the prison of N'Djamena.
In 2018, the Apostolic Vicariate of Mongo was erected by the Holy See and Don Gambelli was asked to accompany the birth of this new local Church, for which he served that Vicariate from 2018 to 2022, with the following offices: parish priest of the Cathedral of St. Ignace in Mongo; head of diocesan youth ministry; chaplain of the Mongo prison; Delegate Vicar (i.e. general) from 2019 to 2022.
On 01.03.2023, Don Gambelli returned to Florence and was appointed parish priest of the Madonna della Tosse, vice-spiritual director of the Florentine Archdiocesan Major Seminary, chaplain of the Sollicciano Prison, positions he held at the time of his appointment as Archbishop of Florence.
Elected to the Archbishopric of Florence on 18 April 2024; ordained bishop on 24 June 2024.
MESSAGE FROM DON GHERARDO GAMBELLI
APPOINTED METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP OF FLORENCE
FLORENTINE METROPOLITAN CHAPTER
