Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Georgia and Armenia
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Valencia en Venezuela, Venezuela
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Georgia and Armenia
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Ante Jozić, titular of Cissa, until now apostolic nuncio in Belarus, as apostolic nuncio in Georgia and Armenia.
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Caracas, Venezuela, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B., as metropolitan archbishop of the archdiocese of Caracas, Venezuela, transferring him from the diocese of La Guaira.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop-elect Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B., was born on 23 October 1962 in Caracas, Venezuela. He was awarded a licentiate in theology from the Salesian Pontifical University of Rome and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
After giving his perpetual vows on 8 September 1987, he was ordained a priest on 15 July 1989.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of San Juan Bosco in Los Teques, member of the Presbyteral Council of the diocese of Los Teques, professor and rector of the P. Ojeda Salesian University Institute (IUSPO) of Los Teques, professor in the major seminaries of Caracas, Maturín and Manaus, Brazil, secretary of the Theological-Pastoral Commission of the Plenary Council of Venezuela, and provincial vicar of the Salesian Society of Saint John Bosco in Venezuela.
He was appointed bishop of La Guaira on 30 November 2013, and received episcopal ordination the following 8 February 2014.
Within the Venezuelan Episcopal Council he has served as vice president (2018-2022), secretary general (2022-2023), and delegate to CELAM; he is currently a member of the Permanent Commission, president of the Episcopal Commission for Ecclesiastical Circumscriptions, and member of the National Pastoral Institute.
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Valencia en Venezuela, Venezuela
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate Salas as metropolitan archbishop of the archdiocese of Valencia en Venezuela, Venezuela, transferring him from the metropolitan archdiocese of Cumaná.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate Salas was born in Cumaná on 27 December 1960. He attended the major seminary of Caracas, and was ordained a priest on 11 January 1986, and incardinated in the archdiocese of Caracas.
After ordination, he was awarded a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome, and went on to serve as formator in the archdiocesan seminary of Caracas, parish priest, director of the Catechesis Office, episcopal vicar, chargé for economic affairs and vicar general.
On 15 October 2007 he was elected titular bishop of Suava and auxiliary of Caracas, receiving episcopal ordination on 12 January 2008. On 24 May 2018 he was appointed archbishop of Cumaná. From 2009 to 2015 he was secretary general of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, becoming president in 2022.
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Barquisimeto, Venezuela
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Polito Rodríguez Méndez as metropolitan archbishop of the archdiocese of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, transferring him from the diocese of San Carlos de Venezuela.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop-elect Polito Rodríguez Méndez was born on 13 August 1967 in the diocese of Barinas, Santa Bárbara. After studying at the major seminary of Caracas, he received episcopal ordination on 31 July 1999, and was incardinated in the diocese of Barinas.
He was awarded a licentiate in philosophy and theology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Santa Rosa of Caracas, Venezuela, a licentiate in moral theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, a master’s degree in university teaching and a doctorate in science of education from the Universidad Fermín Toro of Cabudare, Venezuela. He has served as parish vicar and parish priest of Santo Domingo de Gúzman in Ciudad, Bolivia, San Miguel Arcángel in El Cantón, Nuestra Señora del Carmén in Punta de Piedra, Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Barinas, of the Cathedral of Barinas, diocesan director for Youth and Vocational Pastoral Care, and episcopal vicar for pastoral care, professor and rector of the diocesan seminary of Barinas. He was awarded a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Salesian Pontifical Univeristy of Rome, and a master’s degree in pastoral theology from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello of Caracas.
He was appointed bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela on 8 April 2016, receiving episcopal ordination the following 18 June.
Within the Venezuelan Episcopal Council he was under-secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Venezuela. He is currently member of the Permanent Commission and chair of the Episcopal Commission for the Clergy, Seminaries, Vocations and the Permanent Diaconate.
