Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Fides Service) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has appointed the Archbishop of Santo Domingo Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez his Special Envoy to celebrations for the 4th centenary of the death of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo the second archbishop of Lima and the Patron of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences, revered as “protector of the native peoples” and a great organiser of the Church in South America.
One main event of the centenary celebrations in Lima will be an International Academic Congress 23 to 28 April attended also by bishop presidents of different Bishops’ Conferences of Latin America. The Congress on the theme “Toribio de Mogrovejo, Missionary, Saint and Shepherd” is open to academics, intellectuals, clergy, religious and faithful interested in knowing more about the teaching and example of the second archbishop of Lima. On 27 April the feast day of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo there will be a procession with the saint’s relics followed by a solemn Mass in Lima Cathedral presided by Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López.
Saint Toribio worked tirelessly to evangelise the indigenous peoples and spent 17 of his 25 years of ministry as a bishop visiting countless villages in many different parts of Peru. In 1983 Pope John Paul II proclaimed him patron saint of the Latin American Bishops’ Conference. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 27/2/2006 - righe 16, parole 206)
