Lizardo Estrada Herrera, an Augustinian religious and until now coadjutor archbishop of Cusco, takes charge of the Peruvian archdiocese following the death of Richard Daniel Alarcón Urrutia, which occurred on October 30 at the age of 74. Estrada, who is also secretary general of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), spoke about the transition in an interview with Vatican News published on November 3, just days before León XIV’s arrival at the see he now governs.
León XIV appointed him coadjutor archbishop, with the right of succession, on August 29, when he was an auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese. Upon Alarcón’s death, the see automatically passed to his charge. InfoVaticana reported Alarcón’s death on October 31, fifteen days before the Pope’s planned visit to Cusco.
«A pastor very close to the people»
In the interview, Estrada described his predecessor as «a pastor very close to the people, humble and austere». He recalled that Alarcón presided over Cáritas Cuzco, supported the work of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, and was a firm promoter of the synodal process, and announced that he would continue his pastoral plan and that synodal line. According to Vatican News, Alarcón was coordinating with the Vatican delegation and civil authorities the preparations for the papal visit when death overtook him.
Regarding León XIV, Estrada recounted that Robert Prevost was his professor and director of studies during his formation in Trujillo, around 1996 and 1997. He described him as a brother and a guide who «always knew how to listen», and assured that «Peruvians are waiting for him with joy».
The Pachamama episode
Estrada had already made news in August. On the 13th of that month, as auxiliary bishop, he placed coca leaves in a «pago a la tierra» that opened the Macrorregional South Meeting «Entrelazando Voces por la Dignidad», an event that Vatican News had presented as preparatory to the Pope’s visit to Peru. As InfoVaticana reported, Jordi Bertomeu, an official of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and papal commissioner, also participated in the same rite and offered coca.
Two weeks later came Estrada’s appointment as coadjutor of Cusco, which this outlet covered at the time. Now Estrada will receive León XIV, who arrives in Cusco on November 15, as pastor of the archdiocese and, according to RPP, at the head of the visit’s coordination.