On March 8, 2023, the Right Rev. Antonio Fallica, OSB (63) who was appointed as the Abbot of the Territorial (Arch)Abbey of Montecassino on January 9, will be ordained to the priesthood. At the time of his appointment he was a Benedictine brother in Solemn Vows but not a cleric. It is a requirement that the holder of the office of Abbot be a cleric so he was ordained a Deacon on February 14 and is now being ordained a priest. Then he will be able to fully assume the office of Abbot. The arms (below) are those traditionally used by the (Arch)Abbey. It was also used by the last Abbot, Donato Ogliari, OSB who now serves as Abbot of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls in Rome and is currently still the Administrator of Montecassino until Abbot Antonio takes over. They are ensigned by a green galero rather than black because, although greatly reduced, the Abbey is still a Territorial Abbey (what used to be called an “Abbey Nullius”) and so its abbot uses the same galero as a bishop.
