Jean-Louis Tauran

Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran was born on 5 April 1943 in France and entered the Vatican's diplomatic corps, working nearly thirty years in the Holy See's foreign service. He later served as the Vatican's chief archivist and librarian before being elevated to cardinal in 2003. In 2007 he was appointed president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the Church's formal interface with Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and other traditions. From 2011 to 2014 he held the ceremonial title of Cardinal Protodeacon, which gave him the duty of proclaiming the election of a new pope from the balcony of St. Peter's - a role he performed for both Benedict XVI's resignation and Francis's election. At the end of 2014 he became Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, the officer who manages the transition between pontificates. He died on 5 July 2018.