Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit
Stored: Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit
| His Eminence Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit | |
| Bishop of Archdiocese of Bangkok (Emeritus) | |
| Home diocese: | Archdiocese of Bangkok |
| Other diocese 1: | Diocese of Nakhon Sawan |
| Other diocese 2: | |
| Other diocese 3: | |
| Ordination: | 11 July 1976 by Archbishop Michael Michai Kitbunchu |
| Consecration: | 2 June 2007 by Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu |
| Rank: | Cardinal |
| Created cardinal: | 14 February 2015 by Pope Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born: | Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit 27 June 1949 Ban Rak, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Died: | |
| Nationality: | Thai |
| Education: | Pontifical Urbaniana University, Pontifical Gregorian University |
| Motto: | "Deus Caritas Est" (God is Love) |
| Role: | Emeritus |
| Theology: | Moderate |
| Region: | Asia |
| Rite: | Roman Rite |
| Conclave Eligibility: | Eligible |
Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit, born June 27, 1949, is a Thai prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as Archbishop Emeritus of Bangkok since his resignation in 2024.[1] Elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015, Kovitvanit, the second Thai cardinal, is known for his commitment to education, interreligious dialogue, and peace in Thailand’s Buddhist-majority society, where Catholics number approximately 350,000.[2] His motto, “Deus Caritas Est” (God is Love), reflects his emphasis on unity and respect for diverse faiths, notably through promoting the Golden Rule as a basis for religious communication.[3] At 75, Kovitvanit is one of nine Asian cardinal-electors in the 2025 papal conclave, starting May 7, contributing his experience in a minority Catholic context.[4]
Ordained a priest in 1976, Kovitvanit served as Bishop of Nakhon Sawan (2007–2009) and Archbishop of Bangkok (2009–2024), focusing on pastoral care, liturgy, and Catholic education.[5] As president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand (2015–2024), he advocated for collaboration with Buddhists and support for refugees, drawing on Thailand’s history of aiding Indonesian migrants.[6] Appointed to Vatican congregations for Evangelization and Social Communications in 2015, he influenced global Church policy.[1] After resigning on his 75th birthday in 2024, he continues to promote peace and education in Thailand’s Catholic community.[3]
Biography
Birth and early life
Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit was born on June 27, 1949, in Ban Rak, Bangkok, Thailand, to ethnic Chinese Catholic parents.[1] Raised in a small Catholic community within a Buddhist-majority nation, his faith was shaped by his family’s devotion and the Church’s minority status.[2] His early life in Bangkok, a bustling urban center, exposed him to Thailand’s cultural and religious diversity, influencing his later emphasis on interreligious dialogue.[3]
Educated at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary in Sam Phran, Kovitvanit discerned a priestly vocation early, inspired by the Church’s role in fostering education and charity.[6] His ethnic Chinese heritage and urban upbringing informed his pastoral approach to Thailand’s pluralistic society.[1]
Education
Kovitvanit studied at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary in Sam Phran before pursuing philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome from 1970 to 1976, residing at the Collegio Urbano.[2] He earned a licentiate in theology and later specialized in spirituality at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 1982 to 1983.[7]
His Roman education included pastoral training, equipping him for leadership in Thailand’s minority Catholic context.[3] Fluent in Thai, English, and Italian, with knowledge of Chinese, his studies emphasized catechesis and interreligious collaboration.[2]
Priesthood
Ordained a priest on July 11, 1976, by Archbishop Michael Michai Kitbunchu for the Archdiocese of Bangkok, Kovitvanit served as assistant priest at Nativity of Mary Church in Ban Pan (1976–1977) and Epiphany Church in Koh Yai (1977–1979).[1] He was vice-rector of St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary (1979–1981), rector of Holy Family Seminary in Nakhon Ratchasima (1983–1989), under-secretary of the Thai Bishops’ Conference (1989–1992), and rector of Lux Mundi National Major Seminary (1992–2000).[7]
His priesthood focused on education, seminary formation, and pastoral care, addressing Thailand’s challenges of secularism and religious pluralism.[6] From 2003 to 2007, he was parish priest of Assumption Cathedral and secretary of the Bangkok presbyteral council.[1]
Bishop
Appointed Bishop of Nakhon Sawan on March 7, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI, Kovitvanit was consecrated on June 2, 2007, by Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu.[5] He became Archbishop of Bangkok on May 14, 2009, installed on August 16, 2009, and was elevated to cardinal on February 14, 2015, receiving the titular church of Santa Maria Addolorata.[1]
As archbishop, Kovitvanit promoted Catholic education, interreligious dialogue, and refugee support, resigning in 2024 upon reaching 75.[3] In 2025, he participates in the May 7 conclave, one of 135 electors from 71 countries.[4]
| Diocese | Role | Start Date | End Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Nakhon Sawan | Bishop | 7 March 2007 | 14 May 2009 | Focused on pastoral care and liturgy |
| Archdiocese of Bangkok | Archbishop | 14 May 2009 | 27 June 2024 | Elevated to cardinal in 2015, second Thai cardinal |
Significant events
- Ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Bangkok, 1976.[1]
- Appointed rector of Holy Family Seminary, 1983.[7]
- Named under-secretary of Thai Bishops’ Conference, 1989.[1]
- Appointed rector of Lux Mundi National Major Seminary, 1992.[7]
- Named Bishop of Nakhon Sawan, 2007.[5]
- Appointed Archbishop of Bangkok, 2009.[1]
- Elected vice-president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, 2009.[3]
- Elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis, 2015.[1]
- Appointed to Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples, 2015.[1]
- Elected president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, 2015.[3]
- Resigned as Archbishop of Bangkok, 2024.[1]
- Participated in the 2025 papal conclave, starting May 7.[4]
Books
Written about the bishop
- No specific biographies dedicated to Cardinal Kovitvanit were identified.
Written by the bishop
- No books authored by Cardinal Kovitvanit were identified. He has issued pastoral letters and statements through the Archdiocese of Bangkok, but no published books are documented.
External links
- Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij
- Biography of Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij
- Vatican Biography of Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 "Kriengsak Kovitvanit". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriengsak_Kovitvanit.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij". Vatican Press. https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinals_biographies/cardinals_bio_kovithavanij_fx.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij". The College of Cardinals Report. 2024-11-23. https://collegeofcardinalsreport.com/cardinals/cardinal-francis-xavier-kriengsak-kovithavanij/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Conclave: Who will elect the next Pope". Vatican News. 2025-04-29. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-04/conclave-who-will-elect-the-next-pope.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Francis Xavier Cardinal Kovithavanij". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkrko.html.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij". UCA News. https://www.ucanews.com/directory/cardinals/cardinal-francis-xavier-kriengsak-kovithavanij/36.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit". Wikipedia (French). https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Xavier_Kriengsak_Kovitvanit.