“It is with deep sorrow that the Diocese of Funchal announces the passing of D. Teodoro de Faria, Bishop Emeritus of Funchal, whose life was entirely devoted to the service of God and the people of Madeira,” the statement reads, highlighting his role and dedication to the church and the people of Madeira.
Teodoro de Faria was born in the parish of Santo António, in Funchal, Madeira Island, on August 24, 1930, and was ordained a priest on September 22, 1955, at the Funchal Cathedral.
The Regional Government of Madeira and its president, Miguel Albuquerque, reacted to the news of his death expressing “profound sorrow,” offering “condolences” to the family, and also “emphasizing their gratitude for the significant services rendered in the name of the region.”
The note underscores that Teodoro Faria “is among the most commendable and outstanding Madeirans of recent decades, having, in addition to his role in the Church, an illustrious path in Culture, including with several books written.”
Teodoro de Faria served as bishop of Funchal from 1982 to 2007, for 26 years, after studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and the École Biblique et Archeologique of Jerusalem, and served as rector of the Pontifical Portuguese College in Rome from 1976 to 1982.
In the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, the bishop of Funchal was president of the Episcopal Commission for Migrations and Tourism and a member of the Pontifical Commission for Migrants and Itinerants, having participated in various congresses in Rome.
He was also the representative of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference in COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union).
The Diocese of Funchal highlights in the statement that it was through his efforts that Pope John Paul II visited Madeira in May 1991.
Teodoro de Faria requested his resignation from Pope Benedict XVI, due to age, in 2006.
