Bishop of Limón
Monsignor Javier Román Arias was born on October 19, 1962, in Tacares de Grecia. His parents were Rubén Román Gómez (may he rest in peace) and Elba Arias Rodríguez (may she rest in peace). He was ordained a priest on December 8, 1987, in the Archdiocese of San José by Monsignor Román Arrieta Villalobos (may he rest in peace). His episcopal ordination took place on May 30, 2015, in Limón. The ordaining bishop was Monsignor José Rafael Quirós Quirós, the second Bishop of Limón and current Archbishop of San José. Monsignor Javier Román entered the Domingo Savio Seminary in Cartago in 1974, where he completed his secondary education. He spent part of his religious life with the Salesian Fathers, completing his pre-novitiate with them in 1980 in Guatemala City. He pursued his philosophical and theological studies at the Central Seminary—now the National Seminary of Our Lady of the Angels—in San José, Costa Rica, between 1982 and 1987. As a priest, he served in the following pastoral roles: Parochial Vicar at Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados (1988–1989); Parish Priest at San Cristóbal Norte in Desamparados (1990); Parish Priest at María Reina in Pavas (1991–1996); Parish Priest at Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados (1996–2000); Parish Priest at San Miguel de Escazú (2000–2002); Parish Priest at Nuestra Señora de Loreto in Pavas (2003–2005); Parish Priest at San Vicente de Moravia (2005–2007); Rector of the National Sanctuary and Votive Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (2008–2009); and Parish Priest of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (2010–2015).