do Nascimento, Alexandre

Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento, Archbishop Emeritus of Luanda (Angola), was born in Malanje on 1 March 1925. After studying at the seminaries of Banglas, Malanje, and Luanda, he came to Rome in 1948 to the Pontifical Gregorian University, took his baccalaureate in philosophy and his licentiate in theology. He was ordained in Rome on December 20, 1952 by the then vice regent Mons. Luigi Traglia.

He then returned to his country and from 1953 to 1961 was professor of dogmatic theology at the major seminary of Luanda, editor of the local Catholic newspaper "O Apostolate", and adjunct-director of the Catholic Radio, chaplain to family groups and port workers, and responsible for the homilies at the cathedral of Luanda. Having to leave Angola in 1961, he spent ten years of pastoral ministry in parishes in Lisbon, also attending courses given by the faculty of civil law. He returned to his country in 1971, became secretary general of Caritas in Angola, president of the church tribunal of Luanda, a member of the presbyterial council and of the diocesan commission for the Holy Year 1975, as well as a teacher of moral theology at the Pius XII Institute of Social Service and at the Center for Catholic Culture.

On August 10, 1975, Paul VI appointed him Bishop of Malanje. He received episcopal ordination on August 31, in the Cathedral of Luanda. Less than two years later, on February 3, 1977, after the Holy See having reorganized the dioceses of Angola with the constitution of two new ecclesiastical provinces, Mons. he was promoted to the metropolitan see of Lubango. He was then made Apostolic Administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the diocese of Ondjiva. He was also a member of the Permanent Committee of the Episcopal Conference and President of the Episcopal Commission for Social Assistance and the Missions. He was written about in newspapers around the world when, on October 15, 1982, during a pastoral visit, he was kidnapped by armed guerillas and was freed on November 16, of that year. John Paul II launched an appeal for his freedom during the Angelus message of October 31, 1982.

During Lent of 1984 he preached the spiritual exercises in the Vatican for the Roman Curia, in which the Holy Father also participated.

Archbishop of Luanda, February 16, 1986 to January 23, 2001.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the Consistory of February 2, 1983, of the Title of S. Marco in Agro Laurentino (St. Mark in Agro Laurentino).