Jean Zerbo – the first Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church from Mali – turns 80 today and thus is no longer on the list of cardinal electors in a future conclave. Indeed, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bamako was born on December 27, 1943, in Ségou.
After studying in France, he was ordained a priest on July 10, 1971. He subsequently graduated in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.
Upon returning to Mali, he worked as a parish priest and teacher at the major seminary in Bamako.
John Paul II made him titular bishop of Accia on June 21, 1988, and appointed him auxiliary bishop of Bamako. He was consecrated by Cardinal Jozef Tomko, then Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
On December 19, 1994, he became Bishop of Mopti.
John Paul II elevated him to Metropolitan Archbishop of Bamako on June 27, 1998.
Throughout these years, he took part in the Synods of 2001 and 2009.
Pope Francis created him Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church in the consistory of June 28, 2017, his titular church being Saint Anthony of Padua on Via Tuscolana.
