Giovanni Franzoni

Giovanni Battista Franzoni (1928-2017) was an Italian Christian communist and dissident theologian. He started his religious journey as a member of the Order of Saint Benedict (OSB) and became ordained as a priest in 1955. Franzoni served as the Abbot of St. Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome from 1964 to 1973. However, his involvement in activism and politics led to his laicization by Pope Paul VI in 1976. Despite his defrocking, Franzoni continued to be a prolific author, focusing on theological works. He gained attention for his announcement to vote for the Italian Communist Party in the 1976 Italian general election. Franzoni was also known for his dedication to peace activism throughout his life.