Tagle left for Rome in February 2020 after serving as Manila archbishop since 2011. Bishop Broderick Pabillo, a Manila auxiliary bishop, acted as apostolic administrator as the pope considered who to name as the next archbishop.
The appointment makes Advincula the most prominent Church leader in the Philippines, which has the world’s third-largest Catholic population after Brazil and Mexico. Around 85% of the country’s estimated 110 million people are baptized Catholics.
The cardinal will shepherd an archdiocese with approximately 2.5 million Catholics, significantly larger than Capiz archdiocese, which has around 800,000 Catholics.
The Philippines is currently facing a new wave of COVID-19 infections. The government has said that it willforcechurches to close if priests hold public Masses in defiance of public health orders.
Advincula was born on March 30, 1952, in Dumalag, Capiz archdiocese. After his elementary studies in Dumalag, he entered the high school of the St. Pius X seminary in Roxas City, where he also studied philosophy. He later attended courses in theology at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas of Manila.
He was ordained a priest of Capiz archdiocese on April 14, 1976. He was then named a spiritual director of the St. Pius X Seminary, while also serving as a professor and dean of studies.