This is Dominique Mamberti, the Cardinal in charge of announcing the new Pope

The world awaits white smoke to emit from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel and the words ‘Habemus papam’ to be pronounced from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. The person who they will hear them from is Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, that is unless he is chosen to be the new pope to lead the Catholic Church with its 1.4 billion worldwide congregation.

As Cardinal Protodeacon, Mamberti is the most senior cardinal belonging to the Order of Deacons and tasked with the important announcement “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam!” (I announce a great joy: we have a Pope!) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. While he may be relatively unknown to most, the cardinal, who is described as discreet, self-effacing and trustworthy, has been a leading figure in Vatican diplomacy over the past four decades.

Who is Dominique Mamberti?

Mamberti, was born on 7 March 1952 in Marrakech, Morocco where his father served in the civil service. Both his parents were French, his father from Vico, Corsica and his mother from the Territoire de Belfort, in northeastern France, and they returned to France shortly after Mamberti’s birth.

His parents eventually settled in Corsica after retirement. Mamberti, a student of public law and political science, was ordained a priest on 20 September 1981 for the Diocese of Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica. He earned a canon law degree after which he trained at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, before entering the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 1986.

Dominique Mamberti’s diplomatic work for the Vatican

Among his diplomatic postings were Algeria (1986-1990), Chile (1990-1993), at the United Nations in New York (1993-1996), in Lebanon (1996-1999) according to his biography. In 1999, he began working at the Vatican’s Secretariat of State’s Section for Relations with States where he served until 2002.

He received his episcopal ordination in 2002 and Pope John Paul II named Mamberti apostolic nuncio in Sudan and titular Archbishop of Sagona, as well as apostolic delegate in Somalia. Two years later he was named apostolic nuncio in Eritrea, a neighboring country on the Horn of Africa.

He was appointed secretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, a position he would hold until 2015. A year after Mamberti was appointed that position, he helped to arrange a landmark meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, where he was the pope’s representative in Khartoum, to discuss in particular a comprehensive peace agreement in the war-tore country.

During his tenure at the Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, Mamberti led many Holy See delegations at international meetings and conferences, especially at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the UN’s General Assembly.

Dominique Mamberti’s other senior roles at the Holy See

Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, the Vatican body overseeing the administration of justice in the Church, in 2014. Four months later Pope Francis made Mamberti a cardinal and shortly thereafter he was appointed President of the Commission for Lawyers.

He became the cardinal protodeacon in October 2024, a position held by the longest-serving cardinal deacon, following the death of Cardinal Renato Martino.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.