Pope Francis accepted today, June 28, the resignation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras, 79, as Metropolitan Archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela) and has appointed as his successor to Mons. Raúl Biord Castillo, until today Bishop of La Guaira.
Bishop Biord was born in Caracas on October 23, 1962. He made his perpetual profession as a Salesian on September 8, 1987, and was ordained a priest on July 15, 1989.
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He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome and a doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
In Venezuela he has held various relevant positions throughout his pastoral ministry, such as professor at the Santa Rosa de Lima Archdiocesan Seminary in Caracas. In November 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of La Guaira. His episcopal ordination took place on February 8, 2014.
He was vice president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (CEV) between 2018 and 2022. Bishop Biord succeeds Cardinal Porras, who will turn 80 in October of this year and will no longer have the right to vote in an eventual conclave.
New archbishops for Valencia and Barquisimeto
In addition to the appointment of Bishop Biord, the Press Office of the Holy See reported that Pope Francis appointed Bishop Jesús González de Zárate, current president of the CEV and Archbishop of Cumaná, as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia.
Mons. González was born in Cumaná on December 27, 1960. He was ordained a priest on January 11, 1986 in Caracas. He has a degree in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
On October 15, 2007 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas, and on May 24, 2018 he was appointed Archbishop of Cumaná.
In addition, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Polito Rodríguez Méndez, until now Bishop of San Carlos, as Archbishop of Barquisimeto.
Bishop Méndez was born in Barinas on August 13, 1967. He was ordained a priest on July 31, 1999. He has a degree in Philosophy and Theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Santa Rosa de Caracas and a degree in Moral Theology from the Pontifical University of Santa Rosa. Cross of Rome.
He was named Bishop of San Carlos on April 8, 2016.
These appointments are framed in a turbulent political and social context in Venezuela, in view of the next presidential elections that will be held in the country on July 28 of this year.
Andres Henriquez
I have been a writer for ACI Prensa and a correspondent for EWTN since 2023. Since then, I have covered events in the Catholic Church in Venezuela and Latin America. I have more than 5 years of experience in bilingual media. Additionally, in Venezuela I have worked with non-governmental organizations in favor of freedom and respect for human rights in the country. I have been a member of the Regnum Christi Federation since 2014.