Brazilian Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araujo

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Brazilian Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araujo, retired archbishop of Belo Horizonte, died Oct. 8 in Brazil. He was 95.

With dozens of Brazilian bishops at the Vatican for the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon, Pope Francis and other synod members offered special prayers that evening for the repose of his soul.

In a message of condolence, Pope Francis drew special attention to Cardinal Araujo’s more than 50 years of service as auxiliary bishop and archbishop of Belo Horizonte. “His missionary passion made love for Jesus Christ and his Church grow in the heart of the faithful,” the pope said.

Cardinal Araujo celebrated his 60th anniversary as a bishop in May; as a bishop, he was a member of the Second Vatican Council.

Born in Minas Novas, Brazil, he held degrees in theology and in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained in 1949 and became a bishop in 1959, serving as an auxiliary in Belo Horizonte.

From 1960 to 1981, he was president of the Catholic University of Minas Gerais. He was coadjutor archbishop of Belo Horizonte for more than three years before becoming head of the archdiocese in 1986.

In 1992, he was one of three papally appointed co-presidents of the fourth general conference of the Latin American bishops’ council in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

—CNS

Brazilian Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araujo