Richard Daniel Alarcón Urrutia, Archbishop of Cusco, passed away on Friday, October 30, at the age of 74, after a long illness, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Cusco, which expressed its «deep sadness» and requested prayers for the eternal rest of his soul. His death comes just fifteen days before León XIV is scheduled to arrive in the Peruvian city on Sunday, November 15, as part of the apostolic journey the Pope will make to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.
The Pontiff’s condolences were shared by Vatican News. In a handwritten message addressed to the coadjutor archbishop, Lizardo Estrada Herrera, León XIV asked him to convey his condolences to the prelate’s family, the clergy, the religious, and the faithful. He remembers Alarcón as a «selfless shepherd» who «for years and with unwavering fidelity» dedicated his life «to the service of God and the Church,» offers prayers for the repose of his soul, and entrusts the deceased to the maternal intercession of the Virgin, whom he invokes as «Mamacha Belén.»
The Pope wants to pray with the faithful of Cusco
The Pope concludes the message with his blessing for those mourning the loss and with the desire, in his own words, to «pray with you during my upcoming visit to Cusco.» This makes it clear that the stop in the archdiocese remains on schedule, and the see has a designated successor: on August 29, León XIV appointed Estrada as coadjutor archbishop, until then an auxiliary bishop, with the right of succession, so it now falls to him to assume the governance of the archdiocese. InfoVaticana reported on that appointment.
The Holy See confirmed on October 26, as this outlet reported, that the trip will take place from November 6 to 17. According to EWTN News, a Vatican commission recently visited Cusco to finalize the details of the Pope’s stay.
Franciscan, Bishop of Tarma, and President of Caritas Peru
Alarcón was born in Lima on April 10, 1952. He entered the Franciscan Order in 1969 and was ordained a priest on December 8, 1976. In 1993, he obtained an indult to leave the order and was incardinated in the Diocese of Tarma, of which St. John Paul II appointed him bishop in 2001. He presided over Caritas Peru from 2012, and on October 27, 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Cusco; he took possession of the see on January 3, 2015.
In the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, he chaired the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy from 2018 to 2025. The Conference joined in prayer with Estrada, the clergy, and the faithful of the archdiocese following the news of his passing.
Viewing in the cathedral and funeral on All Saints’ Day
The public viewing began on Saturday, October 31, at 9:30 a.m. in the Cusco cathedral, with six Masses and Solemn Vespers at 6:00 p.m. On Sunday, November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, five Masses will be celebrated; the funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m., followed by a procession and burial in the cathedral crypt, according to EWTN News.