Alexandre do Nascimento

{{Short description|Angolan cardinal of the Catholic Church (1925–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = cardinal | honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Alexandre do Nascimento | honorific-suffix = [[Order of Preachers|OP]] | native_name = | native_name_lang = | title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda|Archbishop of Luanda]] | image = Alexandre do Nascimento.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Nascimento in 2020 | church = | archdiocese = Luanda | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = | elected = | appointed = 16 February 1986 | term = | term_start = | quashed = | term_end = 23 January 2001 | predecessor = Eduardo André Muaca | opposed = | successor = [[Damião António Franklin]] | other_post = Cardinal-Priest of San Marco in Agro Laurentino | ordination = 20 December 1952 | ordained_by = [[Luigi Traglia]] | consecration = 31 August 1975 | consecrated_by = [[Giovanni De Andrea]] | cardinal = 2 February 1983 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope John Paul II]] | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] | birth_name = Alexandre do Nascimento | birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|03|01|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Malanje]], [[Portuguese Angola]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|09|28|1925|03|01|df=yes}} | death_place = [[Luanda]], Angola | buried = | nationality = Angolan | religion = [[Roman Catholic]] | residence = | parents = | spouse = | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malanje|Bishop of Malanje]] (1975–1977)|[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lubango|Archbishop of Lubango]] (1977–1986)}} | education = | alma_mater = [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] | motto = Turres fortissima nomen domini | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Alexandre do Nascimento.svg | coat_of_arms_alt =  | other = }} {{Infobox cardinalstyles| cardinal name=Alexandre do Nascimento| dipstyle=His Eminence| offstyle=Your Eminence| See=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda|Luanda]] ([[emeritus]])| image=Coat of arms of Alexandre do Nascimento.svg| image_size=200px|}}

'''Alexandre do Nascimento''' {{post-nominals|list=OP}} (1 March 1925 – 28 September 2024) was an [[Catholic Church in Angola|Angolan Catholic]] prelate who served as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda|Archbishop of Luanda]] from 1986 to 2001 and was made a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite web |title=DO NASCIMENTO Card. Alexandre |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_do-nascimento_a.html |website=press.vatican.va |access-date=28 August 2022}}</ref> He was a member of the [[Dominican Order]].

==Biography== Born in [[Malanje]] on 1 March 1925,<ref>{{cite web |title=DO NASCIMENTO Card. Alexandre |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_do-nascimento_a.html |website=press.vatican.va |access-date=28 August 2022}}</ref> do Nascimento studied at the [[Seminary|seminaries]] in Banglas, Malanje, and [[Luanda]] before travelling to Rome in 1948 to study at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]], from where he obtained his [[Bachelor of Philosophy|baccalaureate in philosophy]] and his [[Licentiate of Sacred Theology|licentiate in theology]]. He was [[Holy orders|ordained]] to the priesthood by [[Luigi Traglia|Archbishop Luigi Traglia]] on 20 December 1952, and then taught [[dogmatic theology]] at the Luanda seminary and served as [[Editing|chief editor]] of the Catholic newspaper ''O apostolado'' ("The apostolate") until 1956, whence he became [[preacher]] of the cathedral.

In 1961, with the outbreak of the [[Angolan War of Independence|War of Independence]], Nascimento was forced to enter [[exile]] in Lisbon. Whilst in Portugal, he did [[Parish (Catholic Church)|pastoral]] work, served as a [[Wikt:counselor|counselor]] to the Movement of Teams of Our Lady, and studied [[Civil law (common law)|civil law]] at the Classical University. Upon returning to [[Angola]] in 1971, he taught [[Ethics in religion|moral theology]] at the Pius XII Institute of Social Sciences, and served as an official of the [[Diocese|archdiocesan]] [[Curia (Roman Catholic Church)|curia]] of [[Lubango]], [[secretary general]] of the Angolan [[Caritas (charity)|Cáritas]], and special assistant to students and former [[political prisoner]]s.

On 10 August 1975, Nascimento was appointed the fourth [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Malanje|bishop of Malanje]] by [[Pope Paul VI]]. He received his [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|episcopal consecration]] on the following 31 August from Archbishop Giovanni De Andrea, with Archbishops Manuel Nunes Gabriel and Eduardo Muaca serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]]. Nascimento was [[vice-president]] of the Angolan [[Episcopal Conference]] from 1975 to 1981, and was named the third [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lubango|Archbishop of Lubango]] on 3 February 1977. Archbishop do Nascimento was kidnapped by [[Guerrilla warfare|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 (Catholicism)#Cardinal priests|Cardinal-Priest]] of [[San Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino|S. Marco in Agro Laurentino]] in the [[Papal consistory|consistory]] of 2 February 1983. He preached the [[Lent]]en [[Spiritual practice|spiritual exercises]] for the Pope and members of the [[Roman Curia]] in 1984. He was appointed the thirty-fourth [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda|Archbishop of Luanda]] on 16 February 1986 and resigned this post on 23 January 2001.<ref>{{cite web |title=DO NASCIMENTO Card. Alexandre |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_do-nascimento_a.html |website=press.vatican.va |access-date=28 August 2022}}</ref>

Nascimento was unable to participate in the [[2005 papal conclave]] because he had just turned 80. He became the oldest living member of the [[College of Cardinals]] upon the death of Cardinal [[Jozef Tomko]] on 8 August 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251990/cardinal-tomko-oldest-living-cardinal-dead-at-98|title=Cardinal Tomko, oldest living cardinal, dead at 98|work=[[Catholic News Agency]]|access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> He is also tied for longest-serving Cardinal with [[Michael Michai Kitbunchu]], both of whom were appointed in 1983.

On 4 June 2015, he made his profession in the [[Third Order of Saint Dominic|Priestly Fraternities of Saint Dominic]] to the Promoter for the Laity of the [[Order of Preachers]], Rui Carlos Antunes e Almeida Lopes.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2015-06-04 |title=ANGOLA {{!}} Cardinal Alexandre Do Nascimento Makes Profession in the Dominican Priestly Fraternities |url=https://sacerdotes.op.org/post/cardinal-alexandre-do-nascimento-makes-his-commitment-in-priestly-fraternities-of-the-order-of-preac |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=Fraternitates Sacerdotales Sancti Dominici |language=en}}</ref>

Nascimento died on 28 September 2024, at the age of 99.<ref>{{cite news |title=Faleceu Dom Alexandre do Nascimento |language=pt|url=https://angop.ao/noticias/sociedade/faleceu-cardeal-dom-alexandre-do-nacimento/ |access-date=28 September 2024 |publisher=Angop |date=28 September 2024}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commons category}} * {{cite web| access-date = 24 October 2017| title= do Nascimento Card. Alexandre |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_do-nascimento_a.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904061759/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_do-nascimento_a.html }} * [https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios-n.htm#Nascimento Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church] * [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdonas.html Catholic-Hierarchy]

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=[[Eduardo André Muaca]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malanje|Bishop of Malanje]]|years=10 August 1975 – 3 February 1977}} {{s-aft|after=[[Eugénio Salessu]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Eurico Dias Nogueira]]|rows=2}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lubango|Archbishop of Lubango]]|years=3 February 1977 – 16 February 1986}} {{s-aft|after=[[Manuel Franklin da Costa]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ondjiva|Apostolic Administrator of Cunène]]|years=3 February 1977 – 16 February 1986}} {{s-aft|after=[[Fernando Guimarães Kevanu]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Georg Hüssler]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Caritas Internationalis|President of Caritas Internationalis]]|years=1983–1991}} {{s-aft|after=[[Affonso Felippe Gregory]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Emile Biayenda]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[San Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino|Cardinal Priest of San Marco in Agro Laurentino]]|years=2 February 1983 – 28 September 2024}} {{s-aft|after=[[Domenico Battaglia (cardinal)|Domenico Battaglia]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Eduardo André Muaca]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda|Archbishop of Luanda]]|years=16 February 1986 – 23 January 2001}} {{s-aft|after=[[Damião António Franklin]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Manuel Franklin da Costa]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé|President of the Angolan and São Tomé Episcopal Conference]]|years=1990–1997}} {{s-aft|after=[[Zacarias Kamwenho]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-ach|rec}} {{s-bef|before=[[Jozef Tomko]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Oldest living cardinal|years=8 August 2022 – 28 September 2024}} {{s-aft|after=[[Estanislao Esteban Karlic]]}} {{s-end}}

{{Cardinals created by John Paul II}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Nascimento, Alexandre do}} [[Category:1925 births]] [[Category:2024 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Angola]] [[Category:Angolan cardinals]] [[Category:Dominican cardinals]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Paul VI]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Luanda]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Malanje]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Lubango]]