The Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) announced this afternoon, at 14:00, the death of Mons. Bernardo Álvarez Afonso, emeritus bishop of the diocese of Tenerife, at the age of 76. He had received the holy sacraments and the apostolic blessing. At the time of his death, he was accompanied by his sister, Bishop Eloy Santiago, and other priests from the diocese.
Formation, episcopal ministry, and service to the Church
Bernardo Álvarez was born on July 29, 1949, in Breña Alta, on the island of La Palma. He studied at the Diocesan Seminary of Tenerife and was ordained a priest in June 1976. He later pursued studies in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1992-1994), where he obtained a licentiate in Dogmatic Theology.
On June 29, 2005, he was appointed bishop of Tenerife and took episcopal possession on September 4 of that year. His pastoral ministry at the head of the Canary diocese was characterized by closeness to priests and seminarians, and by a style that he himself described as one of simple living and service. On September 16, 2024, the Pope accepted his resignation due to age limit, and Mons. Álvarez became emeritus bishop.
In the CEE, he held various positions: he was a member of the Commission for the Clergy and Seminaries since March 2020, previously between 2008 and 2020 he was part of the Clergy Commission, and in 2012 he was appointed president of the National Committee for the Permanent Diaconate.
Personal profile and pastoral outlook: statements from 2013
In an interview given to InfoVaticana in November 2013, Mons. Álvarez opened up about his vocation, his episcopal style, and his pastoral convictions.
Read also: Bernardo Álvarez: «What I handle are debts»
He recounted that he came from a Christian family in a rural setting on La Palma, that at 14 years old he already participated as an altar boy and collaborated in youth formation groups. Although he began studies at the School of Surveyors in La Laguna (Tenerife), he felt a clear vocational call, which led him to the seminary in 1970-71. There he experienced a personal encounter with Jesus that changed his life.
In a broader context, he stated that the Church in Spain had an “enormous potential”, although with “dampness”: “We are a living Church… Those who go to Mass do so with more conviction… But the decrease in attendance is a purifying process that we must go through”.
Legacy and condolences
The Church in Spain raises its prayers for his eternal rest, trusting that his witness will bear fruit for the building up of local communities and the universal church.
«Our condolences and prayers for the rest of Mons. Álvarez, whose life was marked by service to the Church and the Gospel», declares the CEE.