Death of His Eminence Cardinal Foley, Grand Master Emeritus of the Order of the Holy Sepluchre

H.E. Cardinal Foley as Grand Master of the Equestrian
Order of the Holy Sepulchre

It was announced today, December 11th, that His Eminence, Cardinal John Patrick Foley, Grand Master Emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Cardinal-Deacon of S. Sebastiano al Palatino and former President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, has died aged 76 at the Villa St. Joseph in Darby (where he was born) outside Philadelphia, PA.

Cardinal Foley will be fondly remembered by Americans as the "voice" of the annual televised broadcast of the Midnight Mass from the Vatican, a role he performed for 25 years.

Elevated to the cardinalate in the 2007 consistory, Cardinal Foley was an archbishop for 27 years and a priest for 49 years -- H.E. would have celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his entry to the priesthood in 2012. Appointed a Knight with the Collar of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 1991, Cardinal Foley was appointed Grand Master of the Order in 2007, retiring as Grand Master Emeritus in 2011.

Cardinal Foley was also a Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Northern Star (Sweden), a Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins (Chile) and a Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator General San Martin (Argentina).  R.I.P. -- Abiit ad Plures

The Heraldic Achievement of Cardinal Foley.
 His Eminence's arms, which are quartered with those of
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, are also resting upon
the Cross of the Order.