Cardinal Hyacinthe Thiandoum, Archbishop emeritus of Dakar (Senegal), was born on 2 February 1921 in Poponguine, archdiocese of Dakar (Senegal). His father was a catechist. After finishing his secondary studies, he entered the regional seminary of Dakar and was ordained a priest on 18 April 1949, did parish work for two years and then came to Rome for licentiates in philosophy and sociology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He returned to Senegal in 1953 and, after working as a chaplain to Catholic Action groups, became parish priest of the Dakar cathedral in 1960 and Vicar General the following year.
On 24 February 1962 he was elected Archbishop of Dakar. He received episcopal ordination on 20 May 1962, succeeding Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, C.S.Sp.
He took part in Vatican Council II (1962-1965).
He was president until 1987 of the Bishops’ Conference of Senegal-Mauretania;he has been the Vice-president of the Episcopal Pan-African Symposium.
Has been a member of the Council of the General Secretariatof the Synod of Bishops; President Delegate of the 4th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1977); Relator of the 7th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1987); and General Relator of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops (1994).
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Paul VI in the Consistory of 24 May 1976, of the Title of S. Maria del Popolo.
Archbishop emeritus of Dakar, 16 June 2000.
Cardinal Hyacinthe Thiandoum died on 18 May 2004.