On Saturday, January 4, beginning the new decade of 2020, in the city of Cuzco, Peru the first Peruvian born Augustinian in over two centuries was ordained a bishop. Bishop Edinson Farfan, O.S.A., a member of our Augustinian Vicariate of Chulucanas, was named by Pope Francis as the bishop of Chuquibambilla, a large geographical area outside of Cuzco. The prelature of Chuquibambilla was founded by the Italian province in 1968 and until last week, its previous bishops had been from Italy. Bishop Edinson just celebrated his 45th birthday and is now the youngest bishop in Peru.
Until his nomination as Apostolic Administrator over a year ago, he was a member of the formation team in Trujillo. Thus, in addition to a large number of Augustinians from the Chulucanas Vicariate, all of the professed students of the Vicariate also made the trip to Cuzco for his episcopal ordination.
The three consecrating bishops were the Archbishop of Trujillo, Miguel Cabrejos, who presided at the celebration, Bishop Robert Prevost, O.S.A., our former Prior General who is bishop of the dioceses of Chiclayo, and the Apostolic Nuncio, Bishop Girasoli.
The Mass was held in the Augustinian parish of Saint Rita in Cuzco and the church was filled with delegations from both Cuzco and from the prelature of Chuquibambilla. The prelature is in the high Andes mountains and is one of the poorest regions of Peru, with rudimentary roads and public services. It was one of the hardest hit areas during the period of terrorism that reigned in Peru from 1980 to 1993.
After the Mass, the 500 people present joined for a shared meal in the school athletic facility near the church. It was a festive occasion with typical music and folk dances, and long lines to receive the first blessing of the new bishop.
