About Fridolin Ambongo Besungu
Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (born 24 January 1960) is a Congolese Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Kinshasa since 2018. He was previously Bishop of Bokungu-Ikela from 2004 to 2016, Apostolic Administrator of Kole from 2008 to 2015, Archbishop of Mbandaka-Bikoro from 2016 to 2018, Apostolic Administrator of Bokungu-Ikela from 2016 to 2018, and Coadjutor Archbishop of Kinshasa in 2018. He is a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Ambongo served as a parish priest and as a professor before his episcopal career and since becoming a bishop has been a leading voice among his conferees for national peace. Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal on 5 October 2019. In 2023 he became president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar. He is a member of the Council of Cardinals. == Education and priesthood == Fridolin Ambongo Besungu was born in Boto on 24 January 1960 and prepared for the priesthood by studying philosophy in Bwamanda and theology from 1984 to 1988 at the Saint Eugène de Mazenod Institute. He also entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin where he made his initial vows in 1981 and his perpetual profession in 1987. He later obtained a degree in moral theological studies from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome, and he speaks Italian.
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