After the Angelus on Sunday, October 25, 2020, Pope Francis announced the creation as Cardinal of Monsignor Celestino Aos Braco, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile.
The Spanish Bishop will receive the Cardinal’s hat at the forthcoming Consistory in Rome, on November 28 of this year, along with 12 other Cardinals, among them nine Electors and four Non-Electors, older than 80.
Monsignor Celestino Aos Braco
Monsignor Aoswas born in Artaiz, Archdiocese of Pamplona, Spain, on April 6, 1945. He completed his studies in Philosophy in Zaragoza and his theological studies in Pamplona. He obtained a Licentiate in Psychology from the University of Barcelona, Spain.
He made his temporal profession as a Franciscan Capuchin in 1964 in Sanguesa and his perpetual profession in 1967 in Pamplona. He was ordained a priest in Pamplona on March 30, 1968.
As a priest, he held the following posts: in Spain, he was a Professor in Lecaroz, Navarre; Vicar in Tudela; Professor in Pamplona and Vicar in Zaragoza.
Sent to Chile in 1983, he was Parochial Vicar in the Longavi parish; Superior of the Los Angeles Community; parish priest of Saint Michael’s in Vina del Mar; Superior of the Recreation Community; Episcopal Vicar for Consecrated Life of the diocese of Valparaiso, and Parochial Vicar of Saint Francis of Assisi parish in Los Angeles, diocese of Santa Maria de los Angeles.
Monsignor Aos was also provincial Treasurer of the Capuchins in Chile, Promoter of Justice of Valparaiso’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal, Judge of the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Concepcion, and Treasurer of the Chilean Canon Law Association.
Episcopal Ordination
He was appointed Bishop of Copiapo on July 25, 2014, and received his Episcopal Ordination the following October 18. On March 23, 2019, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile.
The Holy Father Francis appointed him Archbishop of Santiago de Chile on December 27, 2019.
