THE SAD DEMISE OF HIS EMINENCE IVAN CARDINAL DIAS
THE SAD DEMISE OF
HIS EMINENCE IVAN CARDINAL DIAS
We regret to announce the sad Demise of His Eminence, Ivan Cardinal Dias, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, and Archbishop Emeritus of Bombay.
Cardinal Ivan Dias, was born on 14 April, 1936 in Mumbai, India and was ordained for the Archdiocese of Bombay on 8 December, 1958. He held a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome.
He entered the Holy See’s Diplomatic Service in 1964 and was posted to the Nordic countries, Indonesia, Madagascar, La Réunion, the Comorros, Mauritius and the Secretariat of State. On 8 May 1982, he was appointed titular Archbishop of Rusubisir and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Ghana, Togo and Benin, and received episcopal ordination on 19 June. He later served as Apostolic Nuncio in Korea (1987-91) and Albania (1991-97).
On 8 November 1996 he was appointed Archbishop of Bombay. Till 2006
He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Saint Pope John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February, 2001, of the Title of Spirito Santo alla Ferratella (Holy Spirit at Ferratella).
Cardinal Ivan Dias was also President Delegate of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2001). He was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urbanian University from 20 May 2006 until 10 May 2011.
Cardinal Dias passed away at 8 PM, in Rome on the 19th of June, 2017.
His Funeral Mass will be held on June 21st at 3 p.m. at St. Peter’s Basilica. He will be buried in the Chapel of Propaganda Fide at Verano Cemetery in Rome.
On behalf of His Grace the Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras, we express our deep condolences to His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, His Auxiliary Bishops, Priests, Religious and Lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Bombay, and to the close relatives and friends of the late Cardinal Ivan Dias.
Incidentally, the late Cardinal Ivan Dias had presided over the Installation Ceremony of our Archbishop on 17th September, 2004, and also preached a very inspirational Homily on the role of a Bishop and the relationship of the faithful with the local Ordinary.
His Grace the Archbishop and the Vicars General request you to pray for the repose of the soul of Cardinal Ivan Dias, an Eminent Church Prelate, who served the local, national and universal Church with his pastoral leadership and expertise. His death is a great loss to all of us. May the soul of the late Cardinal Ivan Dias rest in peace!
Very Rev. Fr. A.S. Anthony Swamy
Chancellor and PRO
Archbishop of Bangalore