Announcement by the Princely Palace of a new Archbishop for Monaco to Succeed Monsignor Barsi

The Prince’s Palace together with releases from both the Diocese of Monaco and the Vatican, and in tune with the conventions in the Principality, are announcing the resignation of Monsignor Barsi as Archbishop of Monaco and appointment of The Reverend Dominique-Marie David as his successor as Archbishop on Sunday, March 8th, 2020.

The Diocese announces: “This Tuesday January 21, 2020 at noon, His Holiness Pope Francis accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the Archdiocese of Monaco presented by H. Exc. Mgr. Bernard BARSI. The Holy Father appointed Archbishop of Monaco H. Exc. Mgr. Dominique-Marie DAVID, priest of the diocese of Nantes, member of the Emmanuel Community, until now member of the training team of the interdiocesan seminary Saint-Jean de Nantes. From that day until the canonical possession of the archdiocese by his successor, His Exc. Mgr Bernard BARSI, Archbishop Emeritus of Monaco, is appointed apostolic administrator with all the faculties of the diocesan bishop.”

Monsignor Barsi who is an Officer of the Order of Grimaldi officiated at the funeral of Prince Rainier III in April 2005, and on 2 July 2011, he presided over the wedding of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene.

Monsignor Barsi was appointed the Archbishop of Monaco on 16 May 2000. His Holiness Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 21 January 2020.

Reverend Dominique-Marie David

The Reverend Dominique-Marie David was born on 21 September 1963 in Beaupréau, in the diocese of Angers, France. After high school he attended the Université Catholique de l’Ouest in Angers, where he was awarded a licentiate in English philology, and worked as an English teacher. Admitted to the Communauté de l’Emmanuel, he was sent as a seminarian to the Saint-Paul Interdiocesan Seminary in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Université Catholique de Louvain.

He was ordained a priest on 29 June 1991 for the diocese of Nantes. He has held the following ministries and offices: vicar of the parish of Sautron in the diocese of Nantes (1991-1995); head of the liturgical service of the Communauté de l’Emmanuel (1995-2001); head of the Maison Saint-Martin in Paris, for the formation of seminarians of the Communauté de l’Emmanuel(1997-2002); parish priest of the Sainte-Madeleine parish in Nantes (2002-2009); head of ordained ministers and seminarians of the Communauté de l’Emmanuel (2009-2016); rector of the Church of Trinità dei Monti in Rome (2016-2019), and since 2019, member of the team of formators of the Saint-Jean Interdiocesan Seminary of Nantes.

Official Announcement from the Prince’s Palace 

The Prince’s Palace has announced the name of the successor of Monsignor Bernard Barsi as Archbishop: Reverend Dominique-Marie David. 

The announcement states:

“This appointment was made in application of the diplomatic convention concluded in 1981 between the Holy See and the Principality of Monaco. HSH the Prince will soon take a sovereign ordinance which will make the Papal Bull appointing Archbishop David to the archiepiscopal seat enforceable in Monaco. The episcopal ordination of Monseigneur David will take place in the Cathedral of Monaco on Sunday March 8 at 3:30 pm.”