Zuppi and the stress to manage. “Conclave? I was not jealous”

Bologna, July 4, 2025 – Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the CEI, returned to 'Tutto Esaurito – Festival dello Stress' after two years: he had already been the protagonist of the first edition of the festival in 2023, at the Chiostro di Santa Cristina , and this evening he spoke again – this time in an Arena del Sole that was also “sold out” – in dialogue with the creator of the event, Emilio Marrese, and with the psychoanalyst Mario Vittorangeli , introduced on the piano by the artist Bob Messini. As per the formula of the event, which calls famous people on stage to talk about the anxieties related to their profession, in front of a real psychoanalyst, Zuppi also underwent the «public session».

Festival of Stress: The Audience in the Stalls at the Arena del Sole

Compared to his last presence at this festival, Don Matteo participated as a protagonist in one of the most important historical events of the Catholic Church, the Conclave: and if many thought that he would have indicated that as the most stressful moment, in reality the cardinal states: "It was a moment of great depth and spirituality. And I didn't 'bitter' at all", it went very well like that, he jokes on stage with Marrese, "and I was never even afraid of being chosen".

Then he says that at the Clergy House they had their own 'little conclave ': "Everyone had their own candidate, obviously excluding those present", he jokes. "The only thing that struck me - he continues - were the young people: there are those who stopped me in the street saying 'my daughter was rooting for you'. It seems that social media has had an influence, even if I don't have them", he laughs with the audience.

“Unnecessary problems stress me out,” continues Zuppi, returning to the theme of the evening, “especially when small problems become big ones.”

The dialogue then continues between different themes, between a review of his ten years as Archbishop of Bologna, on how the city has changed over the years, continuing between prayer, spirituality, and anecdotes that involved the 800 people present.

The festival, now in its fourth edition and included in the Bologna Estate program, is organized by Si Produzioni di Luigi Tortato with the support of San Paolo Invest, Gruppo Hera and Società Dolce, and closes tonight with the actress Paola Quattrini as guest.