Auxiliary Bishop of Porto
Bishop Vitorino José Pereira Soares was born on 19 October 1960 in Luzim, Penafiel, in the diocese of Porto. He studied philosophy and theology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto. He was ordained a priest on 14 July 1985 for the diocese of Porto. He has held the following offices: military chaplain of the Regiment of Serra do Pilar in Porto; collaborator in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição in Porto; prefect of the major seminary and director of the diocesan Youth Pastoral Secretariat; parish priest in Castelões de Cepeda and in Madalena; vicar of Paredes and member of the diocesan Youth Pastoral Council; and to date, rector of the major seminary of Porto. On 17 July 2019 he was appointed titular bishop of Gisipa and auxiliary of the diocese of Porto, receiving episcopal ordination the following 29 September. Within the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, he chairs the Episcopal Commission for Vocations and Ministries.