Resignation of the metropolitan archbishop of Vitória da Conquista, Brazil, and appointment of the new metropolitan archbishop

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Vitória da Conquista, Brazil, presented by Archbishop Luís Gonzaga Silva Pepeu, O.F.M. Cap.

The Pope has appointed Bishop Josafá Menezes da Silva of Barreiras as metropolitan archbishop of Vitória da Conquista, Brazil.

Archbishop-elect Josafá Menezes da Silva was born on 2January 1959 in Salinas da Margarida, in the archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia, in the State of Bahia. He studied philosophy at the Catholic University of Salvador and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was then awarded a licentiate and doctorate in theological anthropology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

He was ordained priest on 14 May 1989, and incardinated in the archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia, where he held the following positions: parish priest of São João Batista in Salvador; vice-rector and subsequently rector of the preparatory seminary of Santa Terezinha de Lisieux; assistant archdiocesan bursar; coordinator of the archdiocesan Theological Commission; and professor at the Catholic University of Salvador, at the Social Institute of Bahia and at the João Paulo II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family in Salvador.

On 12 January 2005 he was appointed as titular bishop of Gummi in Byzacena and auxiliary of São Salvador da Bahia, and received episcopal ordination the following 10 March. On 15 December 2010 he was transferred as bishop of Barreiras.

Within the Nordeste 3 Region of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference, he was responsible for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, and the pastoral care of communications.