Pope sends condolences for death of Cardinal Amigo Vallejo

By Devin Watkins

Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, OFM, passed away on Wednesday in the University Hospital of Guadalajara due to heart failure, according to the website of the Archdiocese of Seville.

The late Cardinal served at the helm of the Spanish Archdiocese of Seville for 27 years, until his retirement in November 2009.

Prior to that appointment, he had served as the Archbishop of Tangier, Morocco, from 1973 until 1982. Pope St. John Paul II created him cardinal on 21 October 2003.

Papal condolences

Pope Francis sent his condolences to the faithful of Seville and Tangier, as well as to the Order of Friars Minor, in a telegram on Thursday.

The Pope praised the late Spanish Cardinal’s devotion and fidelity in giving his life in “service of God and the Church.”

He also prayed for the eternal repose of Cardinal Amigo Vallejo’s soul through the intercession of Our Lady of Montserrat.

Following the Cardinal’s death, the College of Cardinals currently consists of 209 Cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 92 are non-electors.

Brief biography

Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo was born in Medina de Rioseco, Valladolid, Spain, on 23 August 1934. He was ordained a priest for the Order of Friars Minor on 17 August 1960.

In 1970, he was appointed Superior of his order’s Santiago Province.

On 17 December 1973, he was appointed Archbishop of Tangiers, Morocco; he was ordained Bishop on 28 April 1974. He took part as a member of the Holy See Delegation in the Meeting for Islamic-Christian Dialogue in Tripoli, Libya, in 1976.

In October 1977 he participated in the Synod of Bishops on catechesis, as delegate of the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of North Africa.

On many occasions, he served as mediator in disputes between nations, and encouraged the creation of centres for the social promotion of Muslim women; he also sought to improve Christian, Muslim, and Jewish relations.

He was appointed Archbishop of Seville on 22 May 1982. In November 1982, he welcomed Pope St. John Paul II to Seville, on the occasion of the beatification of Sister Ángela de la Cruz.