Diego Padrón

Diego Rafael Padrón Sánchez (born 17 May 1939) is a Venezuelan prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Cumaná from 2002 to 2018. Padrón was president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference from 2012 to 2018.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal on 30 September 2023.

Biography Diego Rafael Padrón Sánchez was born in Montalbán on 17 May 1939. He completed his high school studies in the minor seminary of Valencia and his work in philosophy and theology in the interdiocesan major seminary of Caracas. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Valencia on 4 August 1963. He received his episcopal consecration on 27 May 1990 He was installed there on 23 July.

Pope John Paul named him archbishop of Cumaná on 27 March 2002.

Padrón served two three-year terms as president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference from 2012 to 2018. He had served the Conference previously as president of the Commission for Laity and Youth from 1990 to 1996 and president of the Commission for Catechesis and Biblical Ministry from 1996 to 2003.

Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop on 24 May 2018.

On 9 July 2023, Pope Francis announced he planned to make him a cardinal at a consistory scheduled for 30 September. At that consistory he was made cardinal priest of San Gaetano.