José Freire Falcão

Second Vice-President of the Latin American Episcopal Council (1987–91)
Second Vice-President of the Latin American Episcopal Council (1987–91)
Motto	Servir em humildade
Coat of arms

José Freire Falcão (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʒoˈzɛ ˈfɾejɾi fawˈkɐ̃w]; 23 October 1925 – 26 September 2021) was a Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church who was archbishop of Brasília from 1984 to 2004. He was created a cardinal in 1988.

Biography

José Freire Falcão was born on 23 October 1925, in

Ceara. He entered the seminary in Fortaleza

He was teaching at the seminary and leading the diocesan liturgy commission when, on 24 April 1967, Pope Paul VI named him titular bishop of Vardimissa and bishop coadjutor of Limoeiro do Norte.^[1] He received his episcopal consecration on 17 June and succeeded as bishop on 19 August.^{[citation needed]} He was transferred to the Archdiocese of Teresina on 25 November 1971.^[2]

Pope John Paul II appointed him archbishop of Brasília on 15 February 1984 and created him a cardinal on 28 June 1988, assigning him as a cardinal priest to San Luca a Via Prenestina.

He retired as archbishop of Brasília upon the appointment of his successor on 28 January 2004.^[3]

He was one of the

2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.^[4]

On 17 September 2021, Falcão was admitted to hospital as a precaution after being diagnosed with

Mass and burial in the crypt of the cathedral took place the next day.^[7]

^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LIX. 1967. pp. 522, 749. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXIV. 1972. p. 61. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
^ "Rinunce e Nominee, 28.01.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Cardeal dom José Freire Falcão morre após complicações da Covid-19". Metrópoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). 27 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
^ "Cardeal José Freire Falcão é internado com covid-19". AciDigital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
^ "Nota sobre o estado de saúde de Dom José Freire Falcão". Archdiocese of Brasília (in Brazilian Portuguese). 24 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
^ Arocho Esteves, Junno (27 September 2021). "Brazilian Cardinal Jose Freire Falcão dies at 95". Crux. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 28 September 2021.

"Falcão Card. José Freire". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
José Falcão Freire
"José Cardinal Freire Falcão". Catholic Hierarchy.
^{[self-published]}

Catholic Church titles
Titular see created	— TITULAR — Titular Bishop of Vardimissa 24 April 1967 – 19 August 1967	Succeeded by Bruno-Augustin Hippel
Preceded by Aureliano de Matos	Bishop of Limoeiro do Norte 19 August 1967 – 25 November 1971	Succeeded by Pompeu Bezerra Bessa
Preceded by Avelar Brandão Vilela	Archbishop of Teresina 25 November 1971 – 15 February 1984	Succeeded by Miguel Fenelon Câmara Filho
Preceded by José Newton de Almeida Baptista	Archbishop of Brasília 15 February 1984 − 28 January 2004	Succeeded by João Braz de Aviz
Preceded by Clemente José Carlos de Gouvea Isnard	Second Vice-President of the Latin American Episcopal Council 1987 – 1991	Succeeded by Tulio Manuel Chirivella Varela
Preceded by Antonio Poma	Cardinal Priest of San Luca a Via Prenestina 28 June 1988 – 26 September 2021	Vacant
Order of precedence
Preceded by Luiz Fux as President of the Supreme Federal Court	cardinal	Followed by Ministers of State