Giovanni Ricchiuti


Giovanni Ricchiuti is an Italian archbishop of the Catholic church. On 15 October, 2013 he's been appointed archbishop of the diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti.

Life

Giovanni Ricchiuti was born on 1 August 1948 in Bisceglie, in the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. He studied at the middle school of the seminary of Bisceglie and he attended the high school and seminaries in Molfetta. On 9 September 1972, he was ordained as presbyter by archbishop Giuseppe Carata. After the ordainment, he continued to study inside the Pontificio Istituto Biblico, Rome.
From 1975 to 1976, he was vice-rector of the Minor Seminary and then he was appointed parochial vicar of the parrocchia della Misericordia, in Bisceglie, where he stayed until 1979; in 1980, he was appointed parish priest, while in February 1994, he left the parish after being appointed rector of the seminary Pontificio Seminario Regionale Pugliese Pio XI, located in Molfetta.
On 27 July 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as archbishop of Acerenza; he succeeded Michele Scandiffio, who had resigned due to his age. On 8 October, he received episcopal ordination in Basilica di San Giuseppe, by the archbishop Francesco Monterisi. On 15 October, he took possession of the archdiocese of Acerenza.
On 15 October 2013, Pope Francis nominated him bishop, with the title ad personam of archbishop of the diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti; he succeeded Mario Paciello. On 4 January 2014, he took possession of the diocese.
On 23 April 2017, he inaugurated the diocesan family counseling, with the purpose of supporting families and their educational role. He is currently also a member of the Episcopal Commission for Social Problems and Work, Justice and Peace of the Episcopal Conference of Italy.

Episcopal ministry

In October 2020, Mgr. Ricchiuti declared legalization of gay adoptions could be a good way to avoid the bearing surogacy. He was one of the first Italian bishops to publicly express a similar position.
He is also actively engaged in the anti-nuclearism and has expressed the Pax Christi's dislike with concerns to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II procurement.

Positions held

Positions held in the past

Episcopal genealogy