Henri Tincq ‑ a French journalist and Vatican expert – succumbed to Covid-19 on 29 March 2020.
He was a religious specialist for the newspaper Le Monde from 1985 to 2008 after having worked for the newspaper La Croix. He has also worked for the magazine Slate.
Tincq obtained a degree in philosophy from Sciences Po in Paris and a degree in journalism from the École supérieure de journalisme de Lille. His most notable work is Larousse des religions, and he chaired the Association des journalistes de l’information religieuse (AJIR) from 1994 to 1999.
Tincq had an interest in the history of popes. Following the election of Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, he established a list of "progressive objectives" for the Catholic Church for Benedict's papacy. He was opposed to the fundamentalist movement, and he was highly critical of Benedict's positions in favor of the movement. Tincq expressed disappointment in the way Benedict leaned towards traditionalism during matters of morality.
Tincq was delighted that Benedict organized a second meeting of major religions, as inter-religious dialogue often turned against traditionalism and skepticism. He was worried about the Islamist risings in North Africa and the fate of Christians in Egypt. He also had great praise for Benedict's speech in front of the German Bundestag.
Tincq was often viewed as more friendly to Protestants, but often hostile to Orthodox Christians.
Tincq died of COVID-19 on 29 March 2020 in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges at the age of 74.