Bernardo Álvarez Afonso
| The Most Reverend Bernardo Álvarez Afonso | |
|---|---|
| Bishop Emeritus of San Cristóbal de La Laguna | |
| File:Mons. Alvarez Alfonso (30279529364).jpg | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Seville |
| See | San Cristóbal de La Laguna |
| Appointed | 29 June 2005 |
| Term ended | 16 September 2024 |
| Predecessor | Felipe Fernández García |
| Successor | Eloy Alberto Santiago |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 16 July 1976 |
| Consecration | 4 September 2005 by Manuel Monteiro de Castro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 July 1949 Breña Alta, Spain |
| Died | 25 November 2025 (aged 76) San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain |
| Motto | OMNIBUS OMNIA FACTUS SUM / ME HE HECHO TODO A TODOS |
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Bernardo Álvarez Afonso (29 July 1949 – 25 November 2025) was a Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna in Tenerife, commonly known as the Diocese of Tenerife, from 2005 to 2024.
Biography
Bernardo Álvarez Afonso was born on 29 July 1949 in Breña Alta, island of La Palma, in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. He studied technical architecture and then entered the diocesan seminary. He was ordained a priest on 16 July 1976. In 1994 he earned a licentiate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.[1]
On 29 June 2005, Pope Benedict XVI named him bishop of San Cristóbal de La Laguna.[1] He received his episcopal consecration on 4 September in the Iglesia de la Concepción, the provisional cathedral of the diocese, from Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, Apostolic Nuncio to Spain. Álvarez was the second native of the Canary Islands to lead the diocese after Bishop Domingo Pérez Cáceres.
In a 2007 interview with local paper La Opinión de Tenerife, he stated: "There are adolescents of thirteen years of age who are minors and are totally in agreement and furthermore desire it. Even if you take care they provoke you." This led to a headline reading "Bishop of Tenerife blames child abuse on the children".[2]
In 2014, the canonization of Blessed José de Anchieta by Pope Francis took place.[3] On 24 April, the Mass of thanksgiving for the canonization presided over by the Pope was celebrated in Rome and attended by Bishop Bernardo Álvarez accompanied by a Canarian representation. José de Anchieta born in Tenerife and missionary in Brazil, became the second Canarian to be canonized by the Catholic Church, after the Peter of Saint Joseph de Betancur in 2002.[4]
On 21 December 2019, Álvarez opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on the occasion of the Jubilee Year for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the diocese.[5]
On 22 September 2021, he offered Mass at the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves in La Palma, together with the priests of the island, to pray for the end of the volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja that began on 19 September.[6]
Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 16 September 2024.[7]
Álvarez died of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on 25 November 2025, at the age of 76.[8] He was buried on 27 November in the chapel of Our Lady of Candelaria (or the Canary Saints) in the Cathedral of La Laguna.[9]
References
- Back to citation occurrence 1.0 Back to citation occurrence 1.1 "Rinunce e Nomine, 30.06.2005" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 June 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- Back to citation "Bishop of Tenerife blames child abuse on the children". Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
- Back to citation La canonización del padre José de Anchieta será el próximo 2 de abril en Roma
- Back to citation "La canonización del padre Anchieta será el 2 de abril". Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- Back to citation La Puerta Santa de la Catedral se abre el 21 por el bicentenario de la Diócesis
- Back to citation "Sacerdotes de La Palma y el obispo celebran una misa para pedir a su patrona que "cese la erupción del volcán"" (in Spanish). 22 September 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- Back to citation "Rinunce e Nomine, 16.09.2024" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- Back to citation "Obituary: Bernardo Álvarez, Former Bishop of Tenerife, Passes Away at 76". Tenerife Weekly. 25 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- Back to citation Los restos mortales de Bernardo Álvarez descansarán desde el jueves en la capilla de los santos canarios de La Catedral
Bibliography
- "Quién es Bernardo Álvarez, obispo emérito de Tenerife" (in Spanish). Religion Digital. 16 September 2024.
- "El papa acepta la renuncia por edad del polémico obispo de Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez" (in Spanish). El Diario. 16 September 2024.
- "Las polémicas del obispo Bernardo Álvarez: de "ser gay es pecado" a saltarse la cola para vacunarse" (in Spanish). El Español. 21 January 2022.
External links
- Don Bernardo Álvarez Afonso. XII Obispo Nivariense
- Biography in Catholic-hierarchy