(AGI) Vatican City, Dec. 20 - Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is nolonger Camerlengo of the Holy Church of Rome. Pope Francis hasreplaced him with Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, the memorableForeign Minister of Pope John Paul II and currently presidentof the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Bertoniturned 80 last Dec. 2 and therefore could not eventuallyparticipate in a Conclave. As Protodeacon, Cardinal Tauranannounced the election of Pope Francis on March 13, 2013.During the last few month, he closely collaborated with thePontiff, especially in cleaning up the Vatican's financialsector and the IOR Vatican bank in particular. Born inBordeaux, Cardinal Tauran is now 71 years old. He wasconscientious objector, refusing to serve in the army and,before entering the seminary, he did civil service as voluntaryaid worker and taught in a Catholic school in Lebanon. Ordainedin 1969, Tauran worked as a curate in the Archdiocese ofBordeaux while he studied Canon Law at the Catholic Universityof Toulouse. After he moved to Rome in 1973, he studied at thePontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, where the Holy See'sdiplomats are trained, and at the Pontifical GregorianUniversity, where he graduated in Canon Law. He took office inthe Vatican's diplomatic service in 1975. He was secretary ofthe nunciature to the Dominican Republic from 1975 to 1979, andwas later transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature of Lebanon,where he remained till 1983, when he was called to join theCouncil for the Public Affairs of the Church. From 1990 to 2003he was Secretary for Relations with States. During these 13years, Cardinal Tauran went on several missions abroad and ledthe Vatican delegation in numerous international conferences.He was created Cardinal-Deacon by Pope John Paul in theconsistory of 21 October 2003 and was concomitantly namedArchivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church. Pope BenedictXVI later appointed him president of the of the PontificalCouncil for Interreligious Dialogue in June 2007. Affected withParkinson's disease, he is widely admired for the heroicattitude with which he continues his apostolic activitiesdespite his obvious difficulties, just like John Paul II. THECAMERLENGO IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CHURCH'S PROPERTY ANDGOVERNS THE CHURCH DURING THE 'SEDE VACANTE' The Camerlengo isthe administrator of the property and revenues of the Holy Seeduring the Sede Vacante or during the absence of the Pope, buthe must do so in a way as to preserve the property, withouttaking extraordinary initiatives. If the Pope dies, he has thetask of certifying the death and informing the Cardinal Vicarof Rome, who is entrusted with the task of revealing the newsto the people. The Camerlengo takes possession of the Ring ofthe Fisherman and cuts it and all other papal seals withshears. He then seals off the papal apartments in the ApostolicPalace in the Vatican, in the Lateran Palace and inCastelgandolfo. This marks the beginning of the Sede Vacante,when the Camerlengo starts preparing the funeral and thesubsequent nine days of mourning, or 'novendialis'. He thenstarts preparing the Conclave to elect a new Pope through theGeneral Congregations, which are chaired by theCardinal-Deacon: 87-year-old Angelo Sodano who was appointed tothis office in 2005. During the Sede Vacante, the coat of armsof the Camerlengo, although it is stil made up of 30 redribbons like all cardinals, it is topped with the banner of thePope with two crossed keys surmounted by the papal tiara.During this period, the Camerlengo can also mint new coinsthat, even if they have legal tender, will never be put incirculation as they are exclusively intended for collectors.The coins portray his coat of arms, with the saying 'SedeVacante' and the year of issue or the fineness of the preciousmetal, expressed as one thousand part. (AGI) . .