Vatican Names Venice Patriarch

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has named Francesco Moraglia, the bishop of La Spezia, as the new patriarch of Venice, a post that served as a launching pad for three 20th century pontiffs.

The 58-year-old prelate will be in line for a red hat as the Venice post is traditionally headed by a cardinal.

Three popes last century had served in Venice: Pius X, John XXIII and John Paul I.