Card. López Romero was born in Vélez Rubio (Spain) in 1952. He currently presides over a small Catholic community of just over 20,000 faithful, all foreigners, mostly young people from sub-Saharan countries.
In a message sent to the Salesian iNfo Agency (ANS), the Cardinal addressed a thought to all the Salesians in the world: "Today I am taking possession of what is my parish in Rome. The Holy Father gave me this parish to be linked to the Church of Rome, which is the center of universal reference. I take this opportunity to greet the whole Salesian world, always united with the Pope. I am a bishop in Rabat, and our Church lives the faith with great enthusiasm. I ask you for a prayer because we can be a Church that bears witness in Morocco, where the majority is Muslim, and where we work together to build the Kingdom of God. May Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians help us."
The first act of taking cardinal possession took place at the door of the parish "San Leone I", in via Prenestina 104, on which the title of cardinal resides. Cardinal Lopez entered in the company of the parish priest of San Leone I, Fr Vito di Nuzzo, kissed the crucifix and then entered the church, where a multitude of faithful welcomed him with applause. The cardinal then went to the altar of the Blessed Sacrament to spend a few moments in prayer. Immediately afterwards he dressed for the Eucharistic celebration, during which the decree of cardinal possession was read, in the order of "cardinal priests".
As is known, the cardinals are appointed in a sovereign manner by the Pope, who at the time of his appointment assigns possession of a titular see of the diocese of Rome or a Roman suburban area, to symbolize the unity of the College of Cardinals as support to the pastoral activity of the Bishop of Rome.
Since yesterday, the parish of San Leone I has been adorned with two coats of arms: on one door of the church there is the episcopal coat of arms of the Pope, and on another the coat of arms of Cardinal López Romero, on whom it symbolically depends.
The cardinals have numerous duties, but among the main ones there is certainly the election of the Successor of Peter. Pope Paul VI limited the age of the cardinal electors, and therefore eligible, to 80 years and their number to 120.
The parish of San Leone I is a church of the diocese of Rome that was founded on October 7, 1952.
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