Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Bhopal, India

Appointment of bishop of Cúcuta, Colombia

Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Bhopal, India

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Bhopal, India, presented by Archbishop Leo Cornelio, S.V.D.

At the same time he appointed Bishop Alangaram Arokia Sebastin Durairaj, S.V.D., of Khandwa, as metropolitan archbishop of Bhopal, India.

Appointment of bishop of Cúcuta, Colombia

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop José Libardo Garcés Monsalve as bishop of Cúcuta, Colombia, transferring him from the diocese of Málaga-Soatá.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop José Libardo Garcés Monsalve was born on 26 September 1967 in Aguadas, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Manizales. He studied philosophy and theology at the major seminary of the same archdiocese. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy and religious sciences from the Universidad Santo Tomás in Colombia and a licentiate in psychology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained a priest on 27 November 1993 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Manizales.

He has held the following positions: parish vicar of San José de Pácora, bursar and formator in the Seminario Mayor Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Manizales, parish priest of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores and of the university parish and the cathedral, and archdiocesan chancellor. 

On 29 June 2016 he was appointed bishop of Málaga - Soatá and consecrated on the following 1 September.  On 20 January 2021 he was appointed apostolic administrator of Cúcuta.