View source for Rolandas Makrickas

{{Short description|Lithuanian Roman Catholic cardinal (born 1972)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Cardinal
| honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]]
| name = Rolandas Makrickas
| honorific-suffix = 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| title = Cardinal<br />[[Basilica of Saint Mary Major|Archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore]]
| image = Rolandas makrickas-4 (edit).jpg
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| church = 
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| see = 
| elected = 
| appointed = 4 July 2025
| term = 
| term_start = 
| quashed = 
| term_end = 
| predecessor = [[Stanisław Ryłko]]
| opposed = 
| successor = 
| other_post = [[Sant'Eustachio|Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Eustachio]] (2024–)
| previous_post = {{indented plainlist|
* [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)|Diplomat of the Holy See]] (2006–2019)
* Administrator, [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)|Secretariat of State]] (2019–2021)
* Titular Bishop of [[Tolentino]] (2023–2024)
}}
| ordination = 30 July 1996
| ordained_by = [[Juozas Preikšas]]
| consecration = 15 April 2023
| consecrated_by = [[Pietro Parolin]]
| cardinal = 7 December 2024
| created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Francis]]
| rank = [[Cardinal-Deacon]]
<!-- -------- Personal details -------- -->| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1972|01|31}}
| birth_place = [[Biržai]], [[Lithuanian SSR]]
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| nationality = [[Lithuania]]n
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| motto = {{ubl|Deus fidelis manet|(God remains faithful)}}
| signature = 
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| coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Rolandas Makrickas (cardinal).svg
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| other = 
}}

'''Rolandas Makrickas''' (born 31 January 1972) is a [[Catholic Church in Lithuania|Lithuanian Catholic]] prelate who has served as archpriest of the [[Santa Maria Maggiore|Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore]] since 2025. He worked in the diplomatic service of the [[Holy See]] from 2006 to 2021, when he was given responsibility for reorganizing the administration of the basilica. He was granted the [[Archbishop#Archbishops_ad_personam|personal title of archbishop]] in 2023 and made a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] in 2024.

==Biography==
===Early life and education===
Rolandas Makrickas was born on 31 January 1972 in [[Biržai]], [[Lithuania]],<ref name=vatbio/> the youngest of five children.<ref name=interview/> Because Soviet authorities restricted religious practice and catechesis, his early religious education was private and tersely accomplished. The end of the Soviet era allowed him to gain a more extensive understanding of his faith and ways of experiencing beyond ritual. While young he flew gliders and briefly considered a career in aviation.<ref name=interview>{{cite interview | access-date = 21 March 2024 | interviewer = Faustina Elena Andrulytė | url = https://siaure.lt/diplomatine-tarnyba-nieko-neprasyti-ir-nieko-neatsisakyti/ | language = lt | title = Diplomatinė tarnyba: nieko neprašyti ir nieko neatsisakyti | trans-title= Diplomatic service: ask for nothing and refuse nothing |date = 18 March 2023 | work = Šiaurės Rytai }}</ref>

He entered [[Kaunas Priest Seminary]] in 1990, the second year it operated, and beginning in 1991 lived at the [[St. Casimir Lithuanian College]] in Rome while studying philosophy and theology at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]].<ref name=interview/> He was ordained a priest of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevėžys|Diocese of Panevėžys]] on 30 July 1996. From 1996 to 2001 he was under-secretary of the [[Lithuanian Bishops' Conference]] and headed the National Committee of the [[Great Jubilee]] of 2000. He earned a doctorate in church history at the Gregorian in 2004.<ref name=vatbio/>

===Diplomatic service===
He studied at the [[Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy]] from 2003 to 2006{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} and joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 2006 and fulfilled assignments first in Bolivia,<ref name=interview/> in Georgia where he witnessed the destruction of the [[Russo-Georgian War]],<ref name=interview/> and in Sweden where the nunciature was responsible for several northern countries.<ref name=vatbio/> He served in the United States from 2013 to 2017, which included [[2015 visit by Pope Francis to North America|a papal visit]]. For two years, he was chargé d'affaires in Gabon and counselor in Congo,<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 21 March 2024 | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/column/54055/how-the-vatican-secretariat-of-state-is-changing | publisher = Catholic News Agency | title = How the Vatican Secretariat of State is changing | first = Andrea | last = Gagliarducci | date = 27 August 2019 }}</ref> where he joined in the Church's delivery of social services and managed a construction project.<ref name=interview/>

On 10 August 2019, he joined the Section for General Affairs of the [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)|Secretariat of State]] in Rome<ref name=vatbio/> as head of administration, the first non-Italian to hold that position.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 21 March 2024 | work = LRT | title = Lithuanian appointed as first non-Italian head of administration at Vatican's Secretariat of State | url = https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1092311/lithuanian-appointed-as-first-non-italian-head-of-administration-at-vatican-s-secretariat-of-state | date = 28 August 2019 }}</ref> In that role he participated in the reorganization of the Vatican's financial and administrative functions.<ref name=interview/>

===Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore===
On 15 December 2021, Pope Francis appointed him extraordinary commissioner with responsibility for managing the assets of the chapter of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, citing "the particular complexities of the economic and financial management of the Chapter ... exacerbated by the spread of the <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[COVID-19]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> pandemic".<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 21 March 2024 | date = 15 December 2021 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Holy See Press Office Communiqué, 15.12.2021 |url =https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/12/15/211215g.html }}</ref>{{efn|When Makrickas ended his work as commissioner, Pope Francis described his remit differently: "the task of reorganizing the life of the Chapter and the Basilica".<ref name=chiro>{{cite web | access-date = 21 March 2024 | language = it | date = 20 March 2024| url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2024/03/20/0234/00501.html |title = Chirografo di Sua Santità Francesco per l'approvazione dello Statuto e del Regolamento del Capitolo della Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore, 20.03.2024 | publisher = Holy See Press Office }}</ref>}} The pope left a meeting to offer him the post in a brief hallway conversation.<ref name=interview/> Despite that characterization of his role, he repeatedly acted as spokesperson for the basilica's events and initiatives.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 21 March 2024 | url = https://omnesmag.com/en/newsroom/belen-viviente-roma/ | work = Omnes Magazine | date = 22 December 2022 | title = An unprecedented living nativity scene in the heart of Rome | first = Antonino | last = Piccione }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 21 March 2024 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/info/2023/12/04/231204a.html | date = 4 December 2023 | title = Pope Francis Gives the Golden Rose to the 'Salus' | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Vatican News | access-date = 21 March 2024 | url = https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-10/archbishop-makrickas-saint-mary-major-new-multilingual-website.html | title = Archbishop Makrickas: St. Mary Major gets a new 'online door' | date = 11 October 2023 | first = Paweł |last=Rytel-Andrianik }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | access-date = 21 March 2024 | work = Vatican News | url = https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2023-06/basilica-feast-corpus-christi-st-therese-of-lisieux.html | title = Pope's Basilica to celebrate Corpus Christi with relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux | date = 9 June 2023 | first = Rechilda | last=Estores }}</ref>

On 23 February 2023, the pope made him titular bishop of [[Tolentino]] with the personal title of archbishop.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | access-date = 21 March 2024 | language = it | date = 23 February 2023 | publisher = Holy See Press Office |url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/02/11/0122/00257.html | title = Rinunce e nomine, 11.02.2023 }}</ref> Makrickas received his episcopal consecration on 15 April from Cardinal [[Pietro Parolin]], with co-consecrators Cardinal [[Stanislaw Rylko]], Archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore, and Archbishop [[Edgar Peña Parra]].<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 21 March 2024 | work = Vatican News | language = it | url = https://www.vaticannews.va/it/vaticano/news/2023-04/parolin-vescovo-makrickas-pace-misericordia-maria-maggiore.html | date = 15 April 2023 | title = Parolin: la pace non è frutto di trattati, ma si accoglie nel cuore per poi testimoniarla | first = Tiziana | last = Campisi }}</ref>

On 20 March 2024, ending Makrickas' role as commissioner and redefining the role of the Basilica's canons,<ref name=chiro/> Pope Francis named him coadjutor archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 21 March 2024 | date = 20 March 2024 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Resignations and Appointments, 20.03.2024 |url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/03/20/240320d.html}}</ref>

Pope Francis announced on 6 October 2024 that he planned to make him a cardinal on 8 December,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castellano Lubov |first=Deborah |date=6 October 2024|title=Pope Francis announces Consistory for creation of new Cardinals |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-10/pope-francis-announces-consistory-for-creation-of-new-cardinals.html |access-date=6 October 2024 |work=Vatican News |language=en}}</ref> a date that was later changed to 7 December.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 12 October 2024 | url = https://www.ncregister.com/cna/vatican-shares-pope-francis-schedule-for-december-consistory-to-create-cardinals?amp | first = Hannah | last = Brockhaus | date = 12 October 2024 | title = Vatican Shares Pope Francis' Schedule for December Consistory to Create Cardinals | work = National Catholic Register }}</ref>

On 7 December 2024, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him as a member of the order of cardinal deacons the deaconry of [[Sant'Eustachio]].<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 7 December 2024 | date = 7 December 2024 | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2024/12/07/0975/01948.html | title = Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico: Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali, 07.12.2024 }}</ref>

He participated as a [[Cardinal electors in the 2025 papal conclave|cardinal elector]] in the [[2025 papal conclave]] that elected [[Pope Leo XIV]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html| title=Cardinal Electors|date=6 May 2025|publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|language=en|access-date=6 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506193115/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html|archive-date=6 May 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>

He succeeded as archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore upon the 80th birthday of his predecessor, 4 July 2025.<ref>{{cite press release | access-date = 4 July 2025 | date = 4 July 2025 | publisher = Holy See Press Office|url =https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/07/04/250704b.html | title = Resignations and Appointments, 04.07.2025 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Catholic Church in Lithuania]]
* [[Cardinals created by Pope Francis]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Stanisław Ryłko]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Santa Maria Maggiore|Archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore]]|years=4 Juli 2025 –}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}

{{Cardinals of the Catholic Church}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Makrickas, Rolandas}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:People from Biržai]]
[[Category:Lithuanian Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]]
[[Category:Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Francis]]
[[Category:Diplomats for the Holy See]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic titular archbishops]]
[[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis]]
[[Category:Lithuanian cardinals]]