Writer and essayist. Graduated in Law at Sapienza and in Religious Sciences at Gregoriana, he is a professor of religion. He collaborates with various newspapers, including Avvenire, and writes reviews for La Civiltà Cattolica. President of the BombaCarta association, which organizes workshops and cultural events. Since 2006 he has held a seminar on religion and literature at the Pontifical Lateran University. Author of literary essays dedicated to Tolkien and Lewis, and of a biographical essay on Benedict XVI.

On December 18, 2018, Pope Francis appointed him director of the Osservatore Romano.