Paolo Pezzi

Born on 8 August 1960 in Russi, in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy).
In 1990, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Theology in Rome. In 1993, he obtained a Licentiate in Pastoral Theology in Rome with a thesis on “Dialogue between Ecclesial Movements and New Communities”. In 2000, in Rome, he defended his doctoral thesis in Pastoral Theology on the topic: “The Catholic Church and the New Evangelisation in Siberia”.

On 22 December 1990, he was ordained a priest in the Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo. From 1993 to 1998, he served as dean of the central region of the Apostolic Administration for Latin Rite Catholics in the Asian part of Russia (the present-day Diocese of the Transfiguration in Novosibirsk), and as editor-in-chief of the Catholic Journal of Siberia. From 1994 to 2007, he was a contributor in Russia to the “Christian Russia” fund.
From 1998 to 2005, he served as Vicar General of the Fraternity of St Charles Borromeo. From 1998 to 2007, he was Visitor of the ecclesial movement “Communion and Liberation” for Russia. From 2005 to 2007, he was responsible for the Fraternity of St Charles Borromeo in Russia. Since 2005, he has taught Pastoral Theology at the “Mary, Queen of the Apostles” Catholic Major Seminary in St Petersburg, where he served as rector from 2006 to 2008.
On 21 September 2007, he was appointed to the See of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow with the title of Archbishop-Metropolitan. He was consecrated bishop on 27 October 2007 in Moscow.

In March 2020, he was elected President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia for the third time. He is Co-Chair of the Inter-Christian Consultative Committee (ХМКК).

He concluded his ministry as Archbishop-Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow on 2 May 2026.

Publications

Cattolici in Siberia, La Casa di Matriona, Milano 2000.
Chiesa Cattolica e nuova evangelizzazione in Siberia [Tesi di Dottorato], PUL, Roma 2005.
Vocazione al Matrimonio, Edizioni Francescane, Mosca 2019.
Una piccola comunità nella grande Russia, interviste con Riccardo Maccioni, Ares, Milano 2022.