The news of the death of Pope Francis, 88, was announced this Monday, April 21, at 7:35 a.m. (6:35 a.m. Portugal time). As a result, the conclave is due to meet on May 5 to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church and Américo Aguiar will be there.
Aged 51, born in Leça do Balio (Matosinhos), in Greater Porto, he is the youngest of the four Portuguese cardinal electors who will be present at the Vatican. So let’s find out a little more about his career.
Américo Aguiar is particularly well known for the important role he played in presiding over World Youth Day (WYD) in 2023. However, his career in the Catholic Church began well before that, at just 27, when he was ordained a priest.
At the age of 47, he became auxiliary bishop of the Lisbon Patriarchate. But two years ago, he was elevated to cardinal, shortly after WYD, and was appointed head of the Diocese of Setúbal.
He has also held other positions such as administrator of the Renascença group and was also a councillor in a local town hall. He also holds a master’s degree in Communication Sciences.
Américo Aguiar also stands out for his strong ties to the world of soccer, especially FC Porto, as he is a Golden Dragon, having co-chaired Pinto da Costa‘s funeral ceremonies.
The other Portuguese cardinals
In addition to Américo Aguiar, from Greater Porto, there are three other Portuguese cardinals taking part in the Vatican conclave:
- António Marto (77)
- Manuel Clemente (76)
- José Tolentino de Mendonça (59)