By Arnold Neliba
SÃO TOMÉ, JANUARY 12, 2024 (CISA)-50-year-old Fr João de Ceita Nazaré is the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Following the appointment, the former Vicar General of the diocese and parish priest of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Graces in São Tomé becomes the first native bishop to lead the diocese.
“The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend João de Ceita Nazaré, of the clergy of São Tomé and Principe, until now delegate of the apostolic administrator and parish priest of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Graces in São Tomé, as bishop of the same diocese of São Tomé and Principe, São Tomé and Principe,” reads a January 9 notice of appointment.
The announcement was made by The Apostolic Nuncio of Angola and São Tomé and Principe, His Excellency Archbishop Dom Giovanni Gaspari, during his visit to the diocese.
The diocese since July 13 2022 been under the leadership of an Apostolic Administrator, Bishop António Lungieki Pedro Bengui, Auxiliary bishop of Luanda Angola following the resignation of Bishop Manuel António Mendes dos Santos, C.M.F aged 62.
Born on 22 August 1973 in Trindade, São Tomé the bishop-elect attended the major seminary of Lisbon and was ordained a priest on August 4, 2006. He obtained a licentiate in theology from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and a licentiate in teaching and Portuguese literature from the Instituto Politécnico de Bragança.
He served as parish priest in Angolares and Ribeiro Afonso from 2007 to 2016 when he was appointed parish priest of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Graces in São Tomé.
Besides being the Vicar General, the other positions the Bishop-elect previously held were; the head of diocesan Caritas and Radio Jubilar, lecturer at the Universidade de São Tomé and Principe and delegate of the apostolic administrator.
