Santos Abril y Castelló
Encyclopedia
Santos Abril y Castelló (born 21 September 1935) is the archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
since his appointment on 21 November 2011 .
Abril y Castelló was born in Alfambra, Spain. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Teruel and Albarracín on 19 March 1960. He was summoned to attend the elite Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
in Rome. He worked in Pakistan, Turkey and the Second Section of the Secretariat of State in Rome.
On 29 April 1985 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Nuncio in Bolivia and Titular Archbishop of Tamada.He received episcopal ordination on 16 June 1985 by the then Cardinal Secretary of State
, Agostino Casaroli. He later served as papal nuncio in other countries: Cameroon (1989–1996), Yugoslavia (1996–2000), Argentina (2000–2003), and Slovenia and Macedonia (2003-2011).
Soon after reaching the obligatory retirement age of 75 for nuncios, he was on 22 January 2011 appointed Vice-Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, which means that, during a vacancy in the Papal See, he is first in authority after the cardinals, and is entrusted with the surveillance of the conclave, to which no one is admitted without his permission. On 2 April 2011 he was appointed a member of the Congregation for Bishops
.
On 21 November 2011 he was named archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the papal basilica associated with Archbishop Abril's native country of Spain
, whose king is protocanon of the basilica's chapter
.
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , known also by other names, is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy.There are other churches in Rome dedicated to Mary, such as Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, but the greater size of the...
since his appointment on 21 November 2011 .
Abril y Castelló was born in Alfambra, Spain. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Teruel and Albarracín on 19 March 1960. He was summoned to attend the elite Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy is one of the Roman Colleges of the Roman Catholic Church. The academy is dedicated to training priests to serve in the diplomatic corps and the Secretariat of State of the Holy See....
in Rome. He worked in Pakistan, Turkey and the Second Section of the Secretariat of State in Rome.
On 29 April 1985 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Nuncio in Bolivia and Titular Archbishop of Tamada.He received episcopal ordination on 16 June 1985 by the then Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
, Agostino Casaroli. He later served as papal nuncio in other countries: Cameroon (1989–1996), Yugoslavia (1996–2000), Argentina (2000–2003), and Slovenia and Macedonia (2003-2011).
Soon after reaching the obligatory retirement age of 75 for nuncios, he was on 22 January 2011 appointed Vice-Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, which means that, during a vacancy in the Papal See, he is first in authority after the cardinals, and is entrusted with the surveillance of the conclave, to which no one is admitted without his permission. On 2 April 2011 he was appointed a member of the Congregation for Bishops
Congregation for Bishops
The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...
.
On 21 November 2011 he was named archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the papal basilica associated with Archbishop Abril's native country of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, whose king is protocanon of the basilica's chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
.