President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a note of regret for the death of Dom Angelico Sandalo Bernardino, Bishop Emeritus of Blumenau (SC), who died on Tuesday (15), at the age of 92. After months of hospitalization and surgery, Dom Angelico was under home care in the Parish of Our Lady Aparecida, in Vila Zatt, Brasilândia region of the Archdiocese of São Paulo.
“I received with deep sadness the news of the death of dear Dom Angelico, who dedicated his life to solidarity and love for neighbor, as Jesus Christ taught us,” Lula wrote.
Lula’s personal friend for decades, Dom Angelico celebrated marriages and baptisms of children and grandchildren of the president and was the priest of Lula’s marriage to Janja da Silva.
“From the workers’ strikes in São Paulo in the 70’s and 80’s, going through historical moments of the struggle for redemocratization and social justice in our country, we have always been together on the side of the truth and the common good. I keep the memories of the great friend who made tenderness and goodness the principles that guided his life.
Lula and Janja were with Dom Angelico a week ago during a visit to the bishop in Sao Paulo.
Born in Saltinho (SP), on January 19, 1933, Dom Angelico was ordained a priest on July 12, 1959. In December 1974, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of St. Paul by Pope Paul VI, having received episcopal ordination on January 25, 1975, in the Cathedral of the Sé by the imposition of the hands of Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns.
