José Freire Falcão (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʒoˈzɛ ˈfɾejɾi fawˈkɐ̃w]; 23 October 1925 – 26 September 2021) was a Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church who was archbishop of Brasília from 1984 to 2004. He was created a cardinal in 1988.


Jose Freire Falcão
Cardinal
Archbishop Emeritus of Brasília
Falcão, 9 March 2003
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseBrasília
SeeBrasília
Appointed15 February 1984
Term ended28 January 2004
PredecessorJosé Newton de Almeida Baptista
SuccessorJoão Braz de Aviz
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination19 June 1949
Consecration17 June 1967
by José de Medeiros Delgado
Created cardinal28 June 1988
by Pope John Paul II
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
José Freire Falcão

23 October 1925
Ererê, Brazil
Died26 September 2021(2021-09-26) (aged 95)
Brasília, Brazil
MottoServir em humildade
Coat of armsJose Freire Falcão's coat of arms

Biography

edit

José Freire Falcão was born on 23 October 1925, in Ererê in the state of Ceará. He entered the seminary in Fortaleza at the age of 14. He was ordained a priest on 19 June 1949.

He was teaching at the seminary and leading the diocesan liturgy commission when, on 24 April 1967, Pope Paul VI named him titular bishop of Vardimissa and bishop coadjutor of Limoeiro do Norte.[1] He received his episcopal consecration on 17 June and succeeded as bishop on 19 August.[citation needed] He was transferred to the Archdiocese of Teresina on 25 November 1971.[2]

Pope John Paul II appointed him archbishop of Brasília on 15 February 1984 and created him a cardinal on 28 June 1988, assigning him as a cardinal priest to San Luca a Via Prenestina.

He retired as archbishop of Brasília upon the appointment of his successor on 28 January 2004.[3]

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.[4]

On 17 September 2021, Falcão was admitted to hospital as a precaution after being diagnosed with COVID-19.[5] On 24 September, the Archdiocese of Brasília announced Falcão's health had deteriorated, that he was intubated and in grave condition after suffering kidney and respiratory complications.[6] He died from complications of the virus on 26 September 2021, at the age of 95.[4] His Funeral Mass and burial in the crypt of the cathedral took place the next day.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LIX. 1967. pp. 522, 749. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  2. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXIV. 1972. p. 61. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Rinunce e Nominee, 28.01.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Cardeal dom José Freire Falcão morre após complicações da Covid-19". Metrópoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). 27 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Cardeal José Freire Falcão é internado com covid-19". AciDigital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Nota sobre o estado de saúde de Dom José Freire Falcão". Archdiocese of Brasília (in Brazilian Portuguese). 24 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  7. ^ Arocho Esteves, Junno (27 September 2021). "Brazilian Cardinal Jose Freire Falcão dies at 95". Crux. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
edit
Catholic Church titles
Titular see created — TITULAR —
Titular Bishop of Vardimissa
24 April 1967 – 19 August 1967
Succeeded by
Bruno-Augustin Hippel
Preceded by
Aureliano de Matos
Bishop of Limoeiro do Norte
19 August 1967 – 25 November 1971
Succeeded by
Pompeu Bezerra Bessa
Preceded by Archbishop of Teresina
25 November 1971 – 15 February 1984
Succeeded by
Preceded by
José Newton de Almeida Baptista
Archbishop of Brasília
15 February 1984 − 28 January 2004
Succeeded by
Preceded by Second Vice-President of the Latin American Episcopal Council
1987 – 1991
Succeeded by
Preceded by Cardinal Priest of San Luca a Via Prenestina
28 June 1988 – 26 September 2021
Vacant
Order of precedence
Preceded byas President of the Supreme Federal Court Brazilian order of precedence
6th in line
as Brazilian cardinal
Followed by
Ministers of State