Bishop Celmo Lazzari

A member of the Josephites of Murialdo, he was born on June 16, 1954, in Garibaldi, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, within the Diocese of Caxias do Sul (Brazil). He completed his secondary education at the Josephite Minor Seminary in Brazil before entering the novitiate. He made his first vows on March 1, 1975, and his perpetual vows on January 9, 1982. He pursued his philosophical and theological studies in Londrina, Brazil, and was ordained a priest on December 18, 1982. Following his ordination, he held the following positions: 1982–1987: Director of the religious community in Ana Rech and Rector of the Josephite Minor Seminary (Caxias do Sul); 1987–1989: Formator for Josephite philosophy students in Caxias do Sul; 1990–1994: Formator for Josephite theology students in Porto Alegre; 1991–1992: Training course for formators at the Salesian Athenaeum in Rome; 1992–1994: Provincial Vicar of the Josephites in Brazil; 1994–2000: Provincial Superior of the Josephites in Brazil; 2000–2006: General Councilor of the Congregation and person in charge of Josephite missions (Rome); from 2006: Vicar General of the Congregation (Rome). He served as Vicar General of the Congregation in Rome (2006–2010) and as Vicar Apostolic of Napo (2010–2013). Since 2013, he has served as Vicar Apostolic of San Miguel de Sucumbíos; he took office on February 1, 2014, having previously served as Vicar Bishop in the Apostolic Vicariate of Napo, where he had received episcopal consecration on October 9, 2010. He served as Vicar Bishop in Sucumbíos for nearly 11 years. On October 23, 2024, he was once again appointed Vicar Apostolic of Napo. He took canonical possession on January 7, 2025, at the Cathedral of Tena. Although the source text cites a birth year of 1954, official Vatican records confirm he was born in 1956.