Rolandas Makrickas
Stored: Rolandas Makrickas
| His Eminence Rolandas Makrickas | |
| Bishop of | |
| Home diocese: | Diocese of Panevėžys |
| Other diocese 1: | |
| Other diocese 2: | |
| Other diocese 3: | |
| Ordination: | 30 July 1996 by Bishop Juozas Preikšas |
| Consecration: | 15 April 2023 by Cardinal Pietro Parolin |
| Rank: | Cardinal |
| Created cardinal: | 7 December 2024 by Pope Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born: | Rolandas Makrickas January 31, 1972 Biržai, Panevėžys County, Lithuania |
| Died: | |
| Nationality: | Lithuanian |
| Education: | Pontifical Gregorian University |
| Motto: | In Simplicitate et Veritate |
| Role: | Curial |
| Theology: | Moderate |
| Region: | Northern Europe |
| Rite: | Roman Rite |
| Conclave Eligibility: | Eligible |
Rolandas Makrickas, born January 31, 1972, is a Lithuanian Catholic cardinal and coadjutor archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore since 2024. A former Vatican diplomat, he was appointed titular Archbishop of Tolentino in 2023 and elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis in 2024, becoming the fifth cardinal in Lithuania’s history. His work reorganizing the basilica’s administration and overseeing Pope Francis’ burial arrangements in 2025, as designated in the pope’s will, reflects his administrative expertise and commitment to the Roman Rite in Northern Europe.[1][2][3]
Born in Biržai, Panevėžys County, Lithuania, Makrickas served in the Holy See’s diplomatic service from 2006 to 2021, with postings in Bolivia, Georgia, Sweden, the United States, Gabon, and Congo. His leadership in opening the Holy Door at Santa Maria Maggiore for the Jubilee Year 2025 and his emphasis on synodality and interreligious dialogue align with Pope Francis’ vision, positioning him as a key figure in the 2025 papal conclave.[4][5][6]
Biography
Birth and early life
Rolandas Makrickas was born on January 31, 1972 in Biržai, Panevėžys County, Lithuania, the youngest of five children in a Catholic family.[1] Raised during the Soviet era, when religious practice was restricted, his early faith formation was private and brief, often conducted clandestinely.[5] The fall of the Soviet Union allowed him to deepen his understanding of Catholicism, moving beyond ritual to a broader spiritual experience.[1]
As a youth, Makrickas was drawn to aviation, flying gliders and briefly considering a career as a pilot, attracted to the freedom of “rising above the ground.” His passion for flying persists, and he occasionally flies when visiting Lithuania.[5] His early experiences under Soviet persecution and his love for aviation shaped his resilient faith and openness to diverse perspectives, evident in his later diplomatic and pastoral roles.[3]
Education
Makrickas entered the Kaunas Priest Seminary in 1990, one of its first cohorts after Lithuania’s independence.[1] In 1991, he moved to Rome, residing at the St. Casimir Lithuanian College while studying philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning a baccalaureate.[2] He later obtained a doctorate in ecclesiastical history from the same university in 2004, focusing on the Church’s role in post-Soviet contexts.[5]
From 2003 to 2006, he trained at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, preparing for the Holy See’s diplomatic service.[2] His academic formation in Rome equipped him with a global perspective, emphasizing synodality and dialogue, which he later applied in managing the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and fostering interreligious cooperation.[7]
Priesthood
Ordained a priest on 30 July 1996 by Bishop Juozas Preikšas for the Diocese of Panevėžys, Makrickas served as under-secretary of the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference from 1996 to 2001, coordinating national Church activities.[1][8] He also headed the National Committee for the Great Jubilee of 2000, organizing celebrations across Lithuania.[2]
In 2006, Makrickas joined the Holy See’s diplomatic service, serving in apostolic nunciatures in Bolivia (2006–2009), Georgia (2009–2012, during the Russo-Georgian War), Sweden (2012–2013), the United States (2013–2017, aiding Pope Francis’ 2015 visit), Gabon (2017–2018, as chargé d’affaires), and Congo (2018–2019, managing Church social services).[5] In 2019, he became the first non-Italian head of administration in the Secretariat of State’s Section for General Affairs, showcasing his financial acumen.[5][9]
Bishop
Appointed titular Archbishop of Tolentino by Pope Francis on 11 February 2023, Makrickas was consecrated on 15 April 2023 by Cardinal Pietro Parolin in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, with Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra as co-consecrators.[1][2] From 2021 to 2024, he served as extraordinary commissioner of the basilica, addressing financial and administrative challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.[9][5]
On 20 March 2024, Pope Francis named him coadjutor archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore, redefining the basilica’s chapter to focus on liturgy and pastoral care.[10] Elevated to cardinal on 7 December 2024, he received the deaconry of Sant’Eustachio.[3] In 2025, he opened the Holy Door at Santa Maria Maggiore for the Jubilee Year, emphasizing Mary’s role as a spiritual guide, and oversaw Pope Francis’ burial arrangements, as designated in the pope’s 2022 testament.[4]<ref name="cna2025">{{Cite web |title=Card
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Rolandas Makrickas". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolandas_Makrickas.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "MAKRICKAS Card. Rolandas". https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinals_biographies/cardinal_makrickas.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Balčiūnaitė, Sniegė (2024-10-07). "Lithuanian bishop among 21 new cardinals appointed by Pope Francis". https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2169547/lithuanian-bishop-among-21-new-cardinals-appointed-by-pope-francis.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas opens the Holy Door, beginning the Jubilee Year 2025". 2025-01-01. https://www.rvasia.org/jubilee/cardinal-rolandas-makrickas-opens-holy-door-beginning-jubilee-year-2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 "Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas". 2024-12-06. https://collegeofcardinalsreport.com/cardinals/rolandas-makrickas.
- ↑ "Archbishop Makrickas: St. Mary Major gets a new ‘online door’". 2023-10-25. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-10/st-mary-major-basilica-rome-launches-new-internet-portal.html.
- ↑ "Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas". https://conclavoscope.com/cardinals/rolandas-makrickas.
- ↑ "Rolandas Cardinal Makrickas". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmakri.html.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Pope Francis appoints commissioner to oversee Rome basilica’s financial assets". 2021-12-15. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249930/pope-francis-appoints-commissioner-to-oversee-rome-basilica-s-financial-assets.
- ↑ "Resignations and appointments, 20.03.2024". 2024-03-20. https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/03/20/240320b.html.