Bernard Agré facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Bernard Agré |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Abidjan | |
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| Archdiocese | Abidjan |
| See | Abidjan |
| Appointed | 19 December 1994 |
| Enthroned | 26 February 1995 |
| Reign ended | 2 May 2006 |
| Predecessor | Bernard Yago |
| Successor | Jean-Pierre Kutwa |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of San Giovanni Crisostomo a Monte Sacro Alto |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 20 July 1953 |
| Consecration | 3 October 1968 by Bernard Yago |
| Created Cardinal | 21 February 2001 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 March 1926 Monga, Ivory Coast |
| Died | 9 June 2014 (aged 88) Paris, France |
| Nationality | Ivorian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
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| Motto | être tout à tous |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Bernard Agré |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Abidjan (emeritus) |
Bernard Agré (born March 2, 1926 – died June 9, 2014) was an important leader in the Catholic Church. He served as the archbishop of Abidjan, a major city in Côte d'Ivoire. He also became a Cardinal, which is a very high rank in the Church.
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Life Story of Bernard Agré
Bernard Agré was born in a place called Monga, in Côte d'Ivoire. He started his education at a seminary in Bingerville. A seminary is a special school where people study to become priests. There, he learned about philosophy.
His Studies and Early Career
Later, he went to another seminary in Dahomey, which is now called Benin. He studied theology there, which is the study of religious faith and practice. From 1957 to 1960, he studied in Rome, Italy, at the Pontifical Urbaniana University. He earned a special degree called a doctorate in theology.
On July 20, 1953, Bernard Agré became a priest. This ceremony is called ordination. Bishop Jean Baptiste Boivin helped ordain him. After becoming a priest, he worked in different roles. He was a vicar, which is like an assistant to a parish priest. He also taught and directed a school.
From 1956 to 1957, he was the rector of a pre-seminary in Bingerville. A rector is like the head of a school. Then, he became a pastor, leading a church in Treichville. In 1963, he became a vicar general for Abidjan. This meant he helped the archbishop manage the church's activities, especially private education and seminaries.
Becoming a Bishop and Cardinal
On June 8, 1968, Pope Paul VI chose him to be the bishop of Man. A bishop is a high-ranking priest who oversees a group of churches called a diocese. He also led the Regional Episcopal Conference of Western Africa from 1985 to 1991. This group brings together bishops from different countries in West Africa.
In 1992, he became the bishop of Yamoussoukro. Then, in 1994, he was promoted to be the archbishop of Abidjan. An archbishop oversees a larger area called an archdiocese.
A very important moment in his life was on February 21, 2001. Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal-Priest. Cardinals are special advisors to the Pope and can vote for a new Pope.
Participating in a Papal Conclave
Because he was a cardinal and under 80 years old, Bernard Agré was able to take part in the 2005 papal conclave. A conclave is a secret meeting where cardinals gather to elect a new Pope. In this conclave, Pope Benedict XVI was chosen.
In 2006, Bernard Agré retired from his role as archbishop of Abidjan. He passed away in Paris, France, on June 9, 2014. He was a member of the Mbatto people.
