In memoriam Bishop Rubén Tierrablanca González, OFM

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has learned with sadness of the death on 22 December of Bishop Rubén Tierrablanca González, OFM.

Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Antonianum University, becoming Rector in 1992, he was appointed in 2003 to serve as guardian of the convent in Istanbul and of the International Fraternity for Ecumenical and Inter–Faith Dialogue in Turkey.

Nominated by Pope Francis in 2016 as Apostolic Vicar in Istanbul, Apostolic Administrator of the Exarchate for Catholics of Latin Rite and Titular Bishop of Tubernuca, he became President of the Episcopal Conference of Turkey in 2018.

The Pontifical Council expresses its heartfelt condolences to the faithful of the Apostolic Vicariate in Istanbul and of the Exarchate for Byzantine–Rite Catholics on the passing of their pastor.

^{Second photo: Bishop Rubén Tierrablanca González, 11 January 2020, at the enthronement of His Beatitude Sahak II, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.}