Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca
Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 22, 1956 Brescia, Lombardy, Italy |
| Occupation | Clergyman |
| Known for | Interim prelate of the Vatican Bank |
Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca (born 22 January 1956) is an Italian clergyman currently serving as the interim prelate of the Vatican Bank.
Early life
Born in Brescia, Lombardy, Italy, Ricca was ordained as a priest in 1980. He initially held the position of parochial vicar until 1985, after which he pursued studies at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome from 1985 to 1989.
Career
From 1989 until 2005, Ricca was assigned to various Holy See nunciatures located in Congo, Algeria, Colombia, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Trinidad & Tobago. In 2005, he became part of the Secretariat of State's Section for General Affairs and transitioned in 2009 to the Section for Relations with States.
Starting in 2006, Ricca oversaw multiple Vatican properties, including Saint Martha House—the residence where Pope Francis stayed during the refurbishment of his official quarters.
In June 2013, Ricca was named interim prelate of the Vatican Bank (Institute for the Works of Religion), filling a role that had been vacant since 2011 following Ettore Gotti Tedeschi’s dismissal. He took over from Ernst von Freyberg, who had served as interim prelate under Pope Benedict XVI. His appointment received backing from Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone and was personally approved by Pope Francis.
After his designation, Ricca encountered accusations regarding involvement in a so-called "gay lobby" and previous homosexual relationships during his service at the Uruguay nunciature between 1999 and 2004. Pope Francis affirmed that an initial inquiry found no proof substantiating these allegations.