Avelar Brandão Vilela

Avelar Brandão Vilela (June 13, 1912 – December 19, 1986) was a Brazilian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia from 1971 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1973.


Avelar Brandão Vilela
Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia
The then-archbishop pictured in 1968.
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseSão Salvador da Bahia
SeeSão Salvador da Bahia
Appointed25 March 1971
Term ended19 December 1986
PredecessorEugênio de Araújo Sales
SuccessorLucas Moreira Neves
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santi Bonifacio ed Alessio (1973-86)
Primate of Brazil (1980-86)
Previous post(s)Bishop of Petrolina (1946-55)
Archbishop of Teresina (1955-71)
Vice-President of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference (1964-68; 1971-74)
Second Vice-President of the Latin American Episcopal Council (1965-66)
President of the Latin American Episcopal Council (1966-72)
Orders
Ordination27 October 1935
by Antônio Maria Alves de Siqueira
Consecration27 October 1946
by José Tomas Gomes da Silva
Created cardinal5 March 1973
by Pope Paul VI
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
Avelar Brandão Vilela

13 June 1912
Died19 December 1986(1986-12-19) (aged 74)
São Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
BuriedSão Salvador da Bahia Cathedral
MottoDe plentitudine Christi
Coat of armsAvelar Brandão Vilela's coat of arms
Styles of
Avelar Brandão Vilela
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeSão Salvador da Bahia

Biography

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Avelar Brandão Vilela was born in Viçosa, and studied at the seminaries in Maceió and in Olinda. He was ordained to the priesthood on October 27, 1935. He then served as a professor and spiritual advisor of the seminary of Aracajú, secretary of the Diocese of Aracajú, and diocesan chaplain of the Catholic Action.

On June 13, 1946, his thirty-fourth birthday, Vilela was appointed Bishop of Petrolina by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 27 from Bishop José Gomes da Silva, with Bishop Adalberto Accioli Sobral and Archbishop Mário de Miranda Villas-Boas serving as co-consecrators. Vilela was later promoted to Archbishop of Teresina on November 5, 1955, and attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. Serving as President of the Latin American Episcopal Conference from 1966 to 1972, he was named Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia on March 25, 1971.

Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio in the consistory of March 5, 1973. Vilela was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively. He earned the nickname of the "Great Conciliator" for his ability to reach both progressives and conservatives in the Brazilian Church,[1] and was given the title of Primate of Brazil when his archdiocese was raised to that rank on October 25, 1980.

The Cardinal died from stomach cancer[1] in São Salvador, at age 74. He is buried at the metropolitan cathedral of São Salvador da Bahia.

References

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  1. ^ a b New York Times. Cardinal Brandao Vilela Dies; Head of the Brazilian Church December 21, 1986

Trivia

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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Petrolina
1946–1955
Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of Teresina
1955–1971
Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia
1971–1986
Succeeded by