Edward Rapallo

Monsignor Edward Rapallo
Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar
Diocese	Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar
Installed	5 July 1973
Term ended	6 February 1984
Predecessor	John Farmer Healy
Successor	Bernard Patrick Devlin
Personal details
Born	(1914-03-01)1 March 1914 Gibraltar
Died	6 February 1984(1984-02-06)(aged 69) Gibraltar
Buried	Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned
Nationality	British(Gibraltarian)
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Residence	Gibraltar

Bishop Rapallo's Ramp and Cannon Lane (to the right) meet in Gibraltar

Edward Rapallo(1 March 1914 – 6 February 1984) was the thirdGibraltarianbornRoman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltarfollowing in the footsteps ofBishop Scandellaand his successorBishop Canilla.

Biography

Rapallo was born inGibraltaron 1 March 1914 and had been ordained a priest by the time he was 23. He served 46 years as a priest with over ten of them as Bishop of Gibraltar.The ceremony to establish him as Bishop had been conducted inside theRAF Gibraltaraircrafthangar.

Rapallo died suddenly in Gibraltar on 6 February 1984.Michael Bowen,Archbishop of Southwark,who had assisted at his consecration as bishop in 1973, returned to the Rock for his funeral. Bowen praised Rapallo's pastoral skills and his ability to bring together theJewish,Indian and Christian communities of Gibraltar.

Legacy

Rapallo was responsible for establishingOur Lady of Europeas one of thepatron saintof Gibraltar and petitioned to have her feast day moved to 5 May to coincide withEurope Day.Rapallo also reconsecrated theShrine of Our Lady of Europe. A pedestrianised street next to theCathedral of St. Mary the Crownedin Gibraltar, was renamedBishop Rapallo's Ramp(formerly Church Lane).