The President of the Republic addressed a message of condolences to the Family of the Emeritus Archbishop of Braga, D. Eurico Dias Nogueira, and to the Episcopal Conference.

Following is the text of the message of condolences sent by President Cavaco Silva:

“Upon receiving the news of the passing away of D. Eurico Dias Nogueira, I address the bereaved Family and the Episcopal Conference my deepest condolences.

An outstanding personality in the life of the 20th century Portuguese Church, D. Eurico Dias Nogueira was a man of faith, convictions and principles.

His period of office, deeply influenced by the clerical renewal commenced by the Vatican II Concilium, in which he took part, was ruled by the defence of the essential values of human dignity.
Throughout his life he defended these values in Mozambique and Angola and, later, in the Archdiocese of Braga.

His example and the testimony of his life were stamped on entire generations, whether believers or non believers, who deeply admired the courage and the resolution with which D. Eurico Nogueira defended the principles in which he believed.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva”