Appointment of bishop of Quelimane, Mozambique

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Osório Citora Afonso, I.M.C., until now titular bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Maputo, as bishop of the diocese of Quelimane, Mozambique, at the same time liberating him of the titular see of Putia in Numidia.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Osório Citora Afonso, I.M.C., was born on 6 May 1972 in Ribaue, Nampula, Mozambique. He attended the Seminário propedêutico Cristo-Rei in Matola, Maputo, and studied philosophy at the Santo Agostinho Major Seminary of Matola, and theology at the Institut Saint-Eugène de Mazenod in Kinshasa. He gave his solemn vows in 2001 in the Consolata Missionary Institute in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and was ordained a priest on 3 November 2002.

After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar and bursar of St. Hilaire in Kinshasa (2002-2005), and regional counsellor for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2005-2006). He was awarded a licentiate in sacred scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome (2006-2010), and continued his studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2008-2009) and the École Biblique et Archéologique Française in Jerusalem (2010-2011). He served as member of the council of the General House in Rome (2008-2010), local collaborator at the Apostolic Nunciature in Kinshasa (2011-2013), formator and bursar of the Theological Seminary of Kinshasa (2011-2013), superior of the Missionary Centre of the diocese of Vittorio Veneto (2014-2016), superior of the Casa Milaico in Treviso (2014-2016), regional counsellor for Italy, Treviso (2016-2017), formator in the International Theological Seminary in Bravetta, Rome (2016-2017), and official of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for First Evangelization and the new particular Churches (2017-2023).

On 21 September 2023 he was appointed as auxiliary bishop of Maputo, receiving episcopal ordination on 28 January 2024.

He is currently secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique.