[1] He studied at the seminary of Florence from 1935 to 1947, and was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa on 13 July 1947.

[3] He resumed his pastoral ministry in 1961 as a parish priest in Castelfiorentino, and was raised to the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness on 26 October 1966.

[4] Following the unexpected death of Cardinal Benelli in October 1982, Piovanelli was promoted to Archbishop of Florence on 18 March 1983.

[1] Piovanelli died in his sleep on the morning of 9 July 2016 at the age of 92, after three months hospitalisation in a Florence retirement home for priests.

[6] His funeral Mass was celebrated in the late afternoon of 12 July 2016 by cardinal Giuseppe Betori and his remains were buried in Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral.