Archbishop Evelio Diaz-Cia | |
---|---|
Born | February 17, 1902 San Cristobal, Pinar del Río, Cuba |
Died | July 21, 1984 Havana, Cuba |
Evelio Diaz-Cia (February 17, 1902 in San Cristóbal, Pinar del Río, Cuba – July 21, 1984 in Havana, Cuba) was the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Havana.
His parents were Arturo Díaz-Díaz and Francisca Cía-López. He was baptised at his parish church in San Cristobal on February 7, 1903 by Father Marcelino Herrero-de Dios (Registered in Box 19 of Baptisms, Folio 387, number 1260). He did his religious studies at the San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary.
He was ordained a priest on September 12, 1926 and was named Chaplain of the Cathedral of Havana. On June 18, 1927, he was assigned to the Parish of Nuestra Señora de Montserrate. On April 2, 1940, named Chaplain to the Ursulines Sisters. On September 10, 1935, he was named Professor of Church History and Sociology at the San Carlos y San Ambrosio Seminary. He was assigned to the parish of Santo Ángel on February 15, 1939 and on April 11, 1940, Vice-Rector of the Seminary and six days after that Chaplain of the Sagrado Corazón de Tejadillo.
Diaz-Cia was elevated to Bishop of Pinar del Río on December 26, 1941 by Pope Pius XII. He was consecrated on March 1, 1942 in the Cathedral of Pinar del Río by Mons. Giorgio Caruana, Titular Archbishop of Sebaste, Apostolic Nuncio of Cuba and assisted by Mons. Enrique Pérez-Serantes, Bishop of Camagüey and by Mons. Alberto Martín y Villaverde, Bishop of Matanzas. In 1958 he wrote the famous "Oración por la Paz" (Prayer for Peace). He was named Titular Bishop of Lamdia and named Auxiliary Bishop of Cardinal Manuel Arteaga-Betancourt, Archbishop of Havana and Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis on March 21, 1959. On that same date he was named Apostolic Administrator of Pinar del Río and remained in that position until January 16, 1960 when Mons. Manuel Rodriguez-Rozas was named Bishop of Pinar del Río. On May 31, 1959 he declared his approval of the agrarian Reforms in the magazine Bohemia without knowing how it was to be implemented. Promoted to Titular Archbishop of Petra di Palestina and named Coadjutor sedis datus of Havana on November 14, 1959. He participated in the National Catholic Congress held in Havana on November 28–29, 1959. He was arrested and held for a few days in April 1961 during the Bay of Pigs Invasion.