Bishop of Angra
Bishop Armando Esteves Domingues is the 40th Bishop of Angra. Pope Francis today appointed Bishop Armando Esteves Domingues—previously an Auxiliary Bishop of Porto—as the Bishop of Angra. The prelate will be the 40th Bishop of Angra and the second consecutive Auxiliary Bishop of Porto to be appointed as the diocesan bishop of this island diocese. He was ordained a bishop on December 16, 2018. He is expected to take up his duties in the diocese after the Christmas holidays, in mid-January. The appointment of Bishop Armando Esteves Domingues brings an end to a nearly year-long period of *sede vacante* (vacant see), following Pope Francis's appointment of Bishop João Lavrador as Bishop of Viana do Castelo on September 21, 2021. Upon Bishop João Lavrador's departure two months later, on November 27, Canon Hélder Fonseca Mendes assumed administrative governance of the diocese, having been chosen by the College of Consultors as Diocesan Administrator.