The emeritus archbishop of Guayaquil, Mons. Antonio Arregui Yarza, passed away on February 5 at the age of 86, after a long priestly and episcopal life developed almost entirely in Ecuador, the country to which he arrived as a young man and in which he exercised his ministry for more than six decades, according to ACI Prensa.
Of Spanish origin, Mons. Arregui was known as “the bishop who became Ecuadorian”, an expression that summarizes his prolonged pastoral dedication and his identification with the local Church, especially in the Archdiocese of Guayaquil, which he governed between 2003 and 2015.
The funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, February 7, and was presided over by Cardinal Luis Cabrera Herrera, the current archbishop of Guayaquil. After the celebration, the remains of the prelate were buried in the crypt of the archbishops of the metropolitan cathedral.
A ministry marked by pastoral presence
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil remembered Mons. Arregui as a close pastor, present in parishes, sacramental celebrations, and media, particularly through the Sunday television broadcast of Holy Mass. Many faithful identify him as the bishop who confirmed them in the faith or visited their communities.
During his episcopate, he promoted various pastoral and social initiatives, as well as the construction and promotion of churches and shrines that continue to be points of reference for the ecclesial life of the city.
From Oñate to Guayaquil
Antonio Arregui Yarza was born on June 13, 1939, in Oñate, in the Basque Country. At the age of 18, he came to know Opus Dei, an institution to which he belonged throughout his life. He was ordained a priest in 1964 and, at just 25 years old, was assigned to Ecuador, where he developed his priestly ministry from the early years.
He actively participated in evangelization through Radio Católica Nacional and collaborated in the organization of St. John Paul II’s visit to the country. In 1986, he obtained Ecuadorian nationality.
He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Quito in 1990, later bishop of Ibarra, and in 2003, archbishop of Guayaquil.