{{short description|Nigerian prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1963)}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific_prefix = [[Eminence (style)|His Eminence]] | name = Peter Ebere Okpaleke | image = Peter Okpaleke.jpg | title = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia|Cardinal, Bishop of Ekwulobia]] | church = [[Roman Catholic Church]] | diocese = Ekwulobia | see = Ekwulobia | appointed = 5 March 2020 | term_start = 29 April 2020 | other_post = [[Santi Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno|Cardinal-Priest of Santi Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno]] (2022–present) | ordination = 22 August 1990 | consecration = 21 May 2013 | consecrated_by = [[Anthony John Valentine Obinna]] | cardinal = 27 August 2022 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Francis]] | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] | birth_name = Peter Ebere Okpaleke | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|03|01}} | birth_place = Amesi, [[Anambra State|Anambra]], [[Nigeria]] | previous_post = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahiara|Bishop of Ahiara]] (2012–2018) | motto = ''Veni Sancte Spiritus''<br>("Come Holy Spirit") | coat_of_arms = [[File:Coat of arms of Peter Ebere Okpaleke (cardinal).svg|150px]] }}
'''Peter Ebere Okpaleke''' {{Audio|IG-Peter-Ebere-Okpaleke.ogg|listen|help=no}} (born 1 March 1963) is a Nigerian prelate and cardinal of the [[Catholic Church]] who has been [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia|Bishop of Ekwulobia]] since 29 April 2020. He was appointed [[Roman Catholic Bishop of Ahiara|Bishop of Ahiara]] in 2012 and consecrated in 2013, but after the local clergy and laity insisted on an [[Mbaise]] bishop instead, he was installed as bishop of Ekwulobia. He was elevated to [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] by [[Pope Francis]] on 27 August, 2022.
==Biography == ===Priesthood=== Peter Ebere Okpaleke born on 1 March 1963 in Amesi in [[Anambra State]], Nigeria. He attended local schools and in 1983 entered the Bigard Memorial Major Seminary in Ikot-Ekpene and Enugu, where he studied philosophy and theology from 1983 to 1992. He was ordained a priest of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Awka|Diocese of Awka]] on 22 August 1992.<ref name=vatbio/>
In the twenty years following his ordination, he filled a wide variety of pastoral and administrative positions, including university chaplain, parish priest, diocesan finance administrator, diocesan chancellor, and secretary and member of diocesan boards. He also studied canon law in Rome at the [[Pontifical University of the Holy Cross]].<ref name=vatbio/>
===Episcopacy=== On 7 December 2012, [[Pope Benedict XVI]] appointed Okpaleke [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahiara|Bishop of Ahiara]], Nigeria.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | access-date = 8 May 2020| url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2012/12/07/0715/01650.html | language = it | date= 7 December 2012 | publisher = [[Holy See Press Office]] | title= Rinunce e Nomine, 07.12.2012 }}</ref> Okpaleke was consecrated a bishop on 21 May 2013. Because of objections to his appointment, his consecration was held outside the Diocese, in the Major Seminary of Ulakwo in the [[Archdiocese of Owerri]].<ref>{{cite news | access-date = 8 May 2020 | url = https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/en/2018/02/19/news/nigeria-the-much-criticized-bishop-okpaleke-resigns-1.33982187 |title= Nigeria, the much-criticized bishop Okpaleke resigns | work = La Stampa | date= 19 February 2018 | first= Andrea | last = Tornielli}}</ref>
Local clergy and parishioners objected to his appointment and prevented him from entering the cathedral in order to take possession of the diocese.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://cruxnow.com/analysis/2017/10/28/unprecedented-crisis-nigerian-diocese-still-not-resolved/ | work = Crux | title = Unprecedented crisis in Nigerian diocese still not resolved | first = Alvan | last = Amadi | access-date = 8 May 2020 | date = 28 October 2017 | archive-date = 16 August 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220816095623/https://cruxnow.com/analysis/2017/10/28/unprecedented-crisis-nigerian-diocese-still-not-resolved | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name=resignation>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-02/pope-francis-nigerian-bishop-resignation.html|title=Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Nigerian Bishop |publisher= Vatican News|date=19 February 2018 | access-date = 8 May 2020 }}</ref> A petition objecting to the fact that Okpaleke was not of the area's Mbaise ethnic origin was sent to Pope Benedict after he appointed Okpaleke bishop.<ref name=woodensuspend>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicregister.org/home/international/item/25418-pope-tells-nigerian-priests-to-accept-bishop-or-be-suspended|title=Pope tells Nigerian priests to accept bishop or be suspended|first=Cindy | last=Wooden|agency= Catholic News Service |website= Catholic Register}}</ref> On 9 June 2017, Pope Francis gave clergy in the diocese 30 days to either write a letter promising obedience and accepting Okpaleke as their bishop or be suspended. Clergy sent letters of apology but continued to protest what they saw as racial discrimination.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Peter Okpaleke, 20 Others As Cardinals |url=https://naijacover.com/2022/05/29/pope-francis-appoints-bishop-peter-okpaleke-20-others-as-cardinals/ |website=Naija Cover |access-date=18 May 2025 |date=29 May 2022}}</ref>
On 19 February 2018, Pope Francis accepted Okpaleke's resignation as Bishop of Ahiara.<ref name=resignation /><ref>{{cite press release | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/02/19/180219a.html | access-date = 8 May 2020 | date= 19 February 2018 | title = Resignations and Appointments, 19.02.2018 }}</ref>
On 5 March 2020, just over two years after accepting his resignation as Bishop of Ahiara, Pope Francis appointed Okpaleke the Bishop of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia|Diocese of Ekwulobia]], a newly created diocese in [[Anambra State]] which formerly had its territory under the jurisdiction of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Awka|Awka Diocese]].<ref>{{cite press release | publisher = [[Holy See Press Office]] | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/03/05/200305a.html | access-date = 8 May 2020 | date = 5 March 2020 |title= Resignations and Appointments, 05.03.2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.sunnewsonline.com/pope-francis-appoints-controversial-ex-ahiara-bishop-okpaleke-head-new-ekwulobia-diocese/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Pope Francis appoints ex-Ahiara bishop, Okpaleke, head new Ekwulobia diocese|date=5 March 2020 | first =Aloysius|last= Attah|newspaper=[[The Sun (Nigeria)|The Sun]]|language=en-US|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref> Okpaleke was installed there on 29 April 2020.<ref name=installed>{{cite news|url=https://cruxnow.com/church-in-africa/2020/05/nigerian-bishop-rejected-by-ahiara-diocese-installed-as-bishop-of-ekwulobia/|title=Nigerian bishop rejected by Ahiara diocese installed as Bishop of Ekwulobia|first=Inés|last=San Martín|publisher=[[Crux (online newspaper)|Crux]]|date=5 May 2020 | accessdate=6 May 2020}}</ref>
Pope Francis made him a cardinal on 27 August 2022, assigning him to the rank of [[Cardinal-Priest]] of ''[[Santi Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno|Ss. Martiri dell’Uganda a Poggio Ameno]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2022/documents/ns_lit_doc_20220827_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html|title=Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali|date=27 August 2022|website=[[Holy See|The Holy See]]|publisher=[[Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff|Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice]]|language=it|trans-title=Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals|access-date=28 August 2022|archive-url=|archive-date=}}</ref> He participated as a [[Cardinal electors in the 2025 papal conclave|cardinal elector]] in the [[2025 papal conclave]] that elected [[Pope Leo XIV]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html| title=Cardinal Electors|date=6 May 2025|publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|language=en|access-date=6 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506193115/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html|archive-date=6 May 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Cardinals created by Pope Francis]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote|Peter Ebere Okpaleke}} {{commonscat}}
* {{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_okpaleke_p.html| title=Okpaleke Card. Peter Ebere|website=[[Holy See Press Office]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828005138/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_okpaleke_p.html|archive-date=28 August 2022|url-status=live}}
{{College of Cardinals}} {{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Nigeria}} {{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Okpaleke, Peter}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Igbo people]] [[Category:Pontifical University of the Holy Cross alumni]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Nigeria]] [[Category:People from Anambra State]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Ekwulobia]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Ahiara]] [[Category:Nigerian cardinals]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis]]