D. João Marcos, who was already coadjutor bishop since 2014, assumed this Thursday the chair of Bishop of the Diocese of Beja, after the passing of testimony by D. António Vitalino, on his 75th birthday.
In an interview with the weekly "Ecclesia", the new bishop outlined as a goal in the diocese the renewal of Christian life, based on the dynamization of communities and the search for vocations.
D. João Marcos succeeded this Thursday to D. António Vitalino as bishop of the Diocese of Beja, after Pope Francisco accepted the latter's resignation on the day he completed 75 years of age. D. António Vitalino was responsible for the Diocese of Beja for 17 years, since 1999.
The new bishop of Beja, 67 years old, until now exercised the mission of coadjutor, for which he was appointed by Pope Francis on 10 October 2014.
In relation to his predecessor, D. João Marcos leaves, in his interview with the weekly “Ecclesia”, “a message of great gratitude” for the “welcoming” he gave him and for the “patience” he had with him over these two years.
D. João Marcos was born in the Diocese of Guarda, attended the seminaries of the Patriarchate of Lisbon, being ordained a priest on June 23, 1974 by D. António Ribeiro; the episcopal ordination took place on November 23, 2014, under the presidency of D. Manuel Clemente, Cardinal Patriarch.
He then continued as coadjutor bishop for the Diocese of Beja, at the request of D. António Vitalino, who on several occasions expressed the need to have a coadjutor bishop to whom he could entrust his mission when he reached 75 years of age.
A coadjutor bishop is appointed on the initiative of the Holy See and, unlike auxiliary bishops, enjoys the right to succeed the diocesan bishop when he ceases to function.
The change therefore took place automatically, in accordance with canon 409 of the Code of Canon Law.
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