1st Angolan cardinal dies at 99; suffered exile, abduction
October 01, 2024
» Continue to this story on Vatican News
CWN Editor's Note: Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento, the first Angolan cardinal, has died at the age of 99.
Born in 1925 and ordained to the priesthood in 1952, he was ordained a bishop in 1975, named a cardinal in 1983, and led the nation’s leading see (Luanda) from 1986 to 2001. The program for Pope Benedict’s apostolic journey to Angola (2009) noted that the Angolan prelate suffered exile and kidnapping (p. 4):
He was ordained a priest in Rome on 20 December 1952. On returning to his homeland, from 1953 to 1961 he was professor of dogmatic theology at Luanda Major Seminary, editor of the local Catholic newspaper O Apostolado, adjunct director of the local Catholic Radio station. Exiled from Angola in 1961, for ten years he assisted with pastoral work in parishes in Lisbon, while studying Civil Law ...
On 15 October 1982 —during a pastoral visit —he was taken hostage by a group of armed men who released him on 16 November that year. His release had been called for by John Paul II during the Angelus reflection on Sunday 31 October. In Lent 1984 he preached the spiritual exercises for the Curia in the Vatican.
In a telegram of condolence to the current archbishop of Luanda, Pope Francis recalled “the care that the beloved Dom Alexandre gave to his flock during troubled and difficult times, being for everyone an expression of the merciful face of Jesus, the Good Samaritan of humanity.”
“His faith in Christ and hope in eternal life made him a courageous and free man, capable of directing his steps for the common good, including collaborating with this Apostolic See in his zeal for the poor and needy, as he guided the direction of Caritas Internationalis,” the Pope added.
With Cardinal do Nascimento’s death, there are now 235 living cardinals, 122 of whom are eligible to take part in a papal election.
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
