Bishop of Tibú
Priestly Ordination: February 1, 1998. Episcopal Ordination: February 5, 2022. Biography: Monsignor Israel Bravo Cortés was born in El Espinal (Tolima) on June 4, 1971. He was ordained a priest on February 1, 1998, for the Diocese of Cúcuta. He pursued his studies in philosophy and theology at the San José Major Seminary in Cúcuta (1989–1997). He holds a Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical Xavierian University and a Licentiate in Philosophy with a specialization in Social Communication from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. As an ordained minister, he served—among other roles—as a parochial vicar at San Pedro Claver Parish (1997) during his transitional diaconate; as parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Rosary in the municipality of Villa del Rosario (1998); and as parochial administrator of San Judas Tadeo in Villa del Rosario, subsequently becoming the pastor of that same community from 1999 to 2003. He spent the years 2003 to 2005 in Rome on study leave. He served as a formator at the San José Major Seminary in Cúcuta during two periods: 2005–2010 and 2012–2014. While pursuing a master's degree in philosophy at the Pontifical Xavierian University, he served as parochial administrator of San Martín de Porres in the Archdiocese of Bogotá (2010–2012). Upon returning to his diocese, he served as pastor of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá from 2014 to 2021. From 2016 onwards, he served as Vicar General, a member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, the diocesan delegate for youth ministry, and a member of the Commission for Social Communications. On November 5, 2021, the Holy Father Francis appointed him the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Tibú. On February 5, 2022, he received episcopal ordination from the Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia, Monsignor Luis Mariano Montemayor. On February 13 of the same year, he took possession of the see.