Archbishop René Leigue Cesari

Archbishop-elect René Leigue Cesari was born on 24 March 1967 in the Comunidad Nuevo Horizonte, Provincia Warnes, metropolitan archdiocese of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. In 1989, he began his formation for the priesthood in the Espíritu Santo seminary of the diocese of Coroico. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, he carried out his studies in theology at the San José National Major Seminary in Cochabamba, earning a bachelor’s degree at the Higher Institute of Theological Studies (ISET) and completing his formation from 2003 to 2004 at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in moral theology. He was ordained as a priest on 27 August 1999 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where he held the following positions: 1999-2001: parish vicar of the Santísima Trinidad; 2001-2002: parish priest of Cristo Misionero; 2005-2012: parish priest of San José Obrero; 2006-2012: director of studies at the archdiocesan major seminary of San Lorenzo; and 2012: parish priest of Nuestra Señora de Fátima. On 31 October 2012, he was elected titular bishop of Nepi and auxiliary of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, receiving episcopal ordination on 16 January 2013.