Alexandre do Nascimento
Encyclopedia
Alexandre do Nascimento (born 1 March 1925) is an Angola
n Cardinal
of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Luanda
from 1986 to 2001, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1983.
, do Nascimento studied at the seminaries
in Banglas, Malanje, and Luanda
before traveling to Rome
in 1948 to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University
, from where he obtained his baccalaureate in philosophy
and his licentiate in theology
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Luigi Traglia on 20 December 1952, and then taught dogmatic theology
at the Luanda seminary and served as chief editor
of the Catholic newspaper
O apostolado until 1956, whence he became preacher
of the metropolitan cathedral.
In 1961, with the outbreak of the War of Independence
, Nascimento was forced to enter exile
in Lisbon
. Whilst in Portugal
, he did pastoral
work, served as a counselor to the Movement of Teams of Our Lady, and studied civil law
at the Classical University. Upon returning to Angola
in 1971, he taught moral theology
at the Pius XII Institute of Social Sciences, and served as an official of the archdiocesan
curia
of Lubango
, secretary general of the Angolan Cáritas
, and special assistant to student
s and former political prisoner
s.
On 10 August 1975, Nascimento was appointed the fourth bishop of Malanje
by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following 31 August from Archbishop Giovanni De Andrea, with Archbishops Manuel Nunes Gabriel and Eduardo Muaca serving as co-consecrators
. Nascimento was Vice-President
of the Angolan Episcopal Conference
from 1975 to 1981, and was named the third Archbishop of Lubango
on 3 February 1977. Archbishop do Nascimento was kidnapped by guerrillas
during a pastoral visit on 15 October 1982; he was later freed on 16 November of that same year after Pope John Paul II
made an appeal for his release.
John Paul II created him Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco in Agro Laurentino in the consistory
of 2 February 1983. He preached the Lent
en spiritual exercises
for the Pope
and members of the Roman Curia
in 1984. The Cardinal was appointed the thirty-fourth Archbishop of Luanda
on 16 February 1986, later resigning this post on 23 January 2001.
Nascimento lost the right to participate in any future papal conclave
upon reaching the age of 80 on March 1, 2005, just weeks before the 2005 papal conclave.
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Luanda
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda
The Archdiocese of Luanda is the oldest Roman Catholic bishopric in Angola and the direct descendant of the Diocese of Angola e Congo, founded in 1596. It was elevated to its current form on 4 September 1940. It is based in the capital, Luanda...
from 1986 to 2001, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1983.
Biography
Born in MalanjeMalanje
Malanje is the capital city of Malanje Province in Angola with a population of approximately 222,000. Nearby is the spectacular Calandula waterfalls, 85 km from the city. These falls are 105 metres high and their great width makes them the main tourist attraction in the region. It is a...
, do Nascimento studied at the seminaries
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Banglas, Malanje, and Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
before traveling to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1948 to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
, from where he obtained his baccalaureate in philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy is the title of an academic degree. The degree usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects...
and his licentiate in theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Archbishop Luigi Traglia on 20 December 1952, and then taught dogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology is that part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and his works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Dutch Reformed Church, etc...
at the Luanda seminary and served as chief editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the Catholic newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
O apostolado until 1956, whence he became preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
of the metropolitan cathedral.
In 1961, with the outbreak of the War of Independence
Angolan War of Independence
The Angolan War of Independence began as an uprising against forced cotton cultivation, and became a multi-faction struggle for control of Portugal's Overseas Province of Angola with three nationalist movements and a separatist movement...
, Nascimento was forced to enter exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. Whilst in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, he did pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work, served as a counselor to the Movement of Teams of Our Lady, and studied civil law
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
at the Classical University. Upon returning to Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
in 1971, he taught moral theology
Ethics in religion
Most religions have an ethical component, often derived from purported supernatural revelation or guidance. "For many people, ethics is not only tied up with religion, but is completely settled by it...
at the Pius XII Institute of Social Sciences, and served as an official of the archdiocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
curia
Curia (Roman Catholic Church)
In Roman Catholicism, a curia consists of a group of officials who assist in the governance of a particular Church. These curias range from the relatively simple diocesan curia, to the larger patriarchal curias, to the Roman Curia, which is the central government of the Catholic Church.Other...
of Lubango
Lubango
Lubango is the capital city of the Angolan province of Huíla. Its last known population was 100,757. Until 1975, the city's official name was Sá da Bandeira.-Portuguese rule:...
, secretary general of the Angolan Cáritas
Caritas (charity)
Caritas Internationalis is a confederate of 164 Roman Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide....
, and special assistant to student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s and former political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s.
On 10 August 1975, Nascimento was appointed the fourth bishop of Malanje
Roman Catholic Diocese of Malanje
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malanje is an archdiocese located in the city of Malanje in Angola. Until its elevation to an archdiocese in 2011 it belonged to the Ecclesiastical province of Luanda, like the two dioceses over which it has now oversight: the Diocese of Uíje and the Diocese of...
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following 31 August from Archbishop Giovanni De Andrea, with Archbishops Manuel Nunes Gabriel and Eduardo Muaca serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Nascimento was Vice-President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of the Angolan Episcopal Conference
Episcopal Conference
In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the bishops of a given territory...
from 1975 to 1981, and was named the third Archbishop of Lubango
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lubango
The Archdiocese of Lubango is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Lubango in Angola. The cathedral of the archdiocese is the Cathedral of St...
on 3 February 1977. Archbishop do Nascimento was kidnapped by guerrillas
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
during a pastoral visit on 15 October 1982; he was later freed on 16 November of that same year after Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
made an appeal for his release.
John Paul II created him Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco in Agro Laurentino in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of 2 February 1983. He preached the Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
en spiritual exercises
Spiritual practice
A spiritual practice or spiritual discipline is the regular or full-time performance of actions and activities undertaken for the purpose of cultivating spiritual development. A common metaphor used in the spiritual traditions of the worlds great religions is that of walking a path...
for the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and members of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
in 1984. The Cardinal was appointed the thirty-fourth Archbishop of Luanda
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda
The Archdiocese of Luanda is the oldest Roman Catholic bishopric in Angola and the direct descendant of the Diocese of Angola e Congo, founded in 1596. It was elevated to its current form on 4 September 1940. It is based in the capital, Luanda...
on 16 February 1986, later resigning this post on 23 January 2001.
Nascimento lost the right to participate in any future papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
upon reaching the age of 80 on March 1, 2005, just weeks before the 2005 papal conclave.