Experience

He has always managed to combine his professional roles with a commitment to areas of volunteering, social, civil and humanitarian interest. As a young man he volunteered for the Misericordia of Arezzo (founded in Florence in 1200, the Misericordie is the oldest voluntary association in history), of which he is still president of the board of arbitrators. He was Head of the Italian Red Cross from 1983 to 1987 and finally in charge of international relations for the Youth Community of the Sacro Cuore of Arezzo. He was co-founder of the “Rondine, Cittadella della Pace” Association, of which he is still a member. The organisation’s mission is to reduce armed conflict across the world by promoting their creative conflict resolution methods in every area.   

In 2005 in the Central African Republic, considered the poorest state in the world, it was able to effectively work in unison with the United Nations Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA), the High Representative of the UN in Central Africa, the Apostolic Nuncio in Bangui and the Community of Sant'Egidio, securing a truce that allowed the Pope to visit the country’s capital, Bangui, to open a Holy Door during the Holy Year of Mercy.

On the 200th anniversary of the Gendarmerie Foundation, he invited Claudio Baglioni, who has for many years tirelessly promoted intercultural dialogue, integration and solidarity between all people, races and ethnic groups with the O'Scià foundation, to put on a concert at the Nervi hall. The concert raised 1,500,000 euros in a single night, which was then distributed to Bangui’s paediatric hospital and the earthquake victims of Central Italy. 

He founded the "San Michele Arcangelo Foundation", which has worked on various charity projects, such as the construction of a hospital in Kenya and the collaboration with AVSI for the Open Hospitals project in Syria; the Giovanni XXIII Community project to combat trafficking in human beings and other various emergency relief projects with the Sant’Egidio Community; the Rondine Cittadella della Pace Association scholarship project for young people from conflict areas; the Santina Onlus Foundation project in the Acapulco prison and the building of water wells in Iraqi Kurdistan, with CUAMM (Doctors with Africa, an Italian organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of the health of African populations).

He has many years experience with the Guardia di Finanza and in intelligence, working in delicate technical and operational sectors; he was Director of the Security and Civil Protection Services and Commander of the Gendarmerie Corps of the Vatican City State (he joined the Corps as Deputy Commander in 1999, assuming command between 2006 and 2019).

During this period of command of the Corps, he was responsible for the coordination and security of the Holy Father and the country, as well as for overseeing more than 80 apostolic journeys made by Popes during his service, pastoral visits to Italy and managing major events (John Paul II funeral, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy,…).

During his career he has been awarded over thirty Italian, Vatican and international honours.

He was an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Investigation Sciences of the University of L'Aquila, collaborating with the professors of social psychology at the Universities of Siena and Urbino.

He graduated in Pedagogy at the University of Siena and in Economic and Financial Security Sciences at the Tor Vergata University of Rome.