The Rt. Rev. Elías García Cárdenas was ordained and consecrated the 5th bishop of Colombia on Feb. 18. Photo: Diocese of Colombia’s Facebook page

[Episcopal News Service] The Rt. Rev. Elías García Cárdenas was ordained and consecrated the 5th bishop of the Diocese of Colombia on Feb. 18 during a service held at the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Bogotá, Colombia.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry served as chief consecrator and preached. Also in attendance were bishops from across Province IX, including Dominican Republic Bishop Moisés Quezada Mota, Honduras Bishop Lloyd Allen and Central Ecuador Bishop Juan Carlos Quiñonez, and from Province II, Puerto Rico Bishop Rafael Luis Morales Maldonado.

“This is a great day, and wonderful day. We come together as the people of God to give God thanks for the ministry of Bishop Francisco… and we come to give God thanks and to pray for our almost bishop … what a joy, what a joy,” the presiding bishop said, during the service, before the actual consecration.

García succeeds Bishop Francisco Duque-Gómez, who served as diocesan bishop since 2001. García previously served as vicar of the Parish Church of San Lucas. He was elected on Oct. 1 during a special election convention.

The Bogotá-based Diocese of Colombia has 12 churches and 11 missions in 15 cities countrywide. As a member of Province IX, it’s one of six Episcopal dioceses in Latin America and the Caribbean.