Félix Lázaro Martínez

Félix Lázaro Martínez, Sch.P., (born 2 March 1936) is a Spanish-born prelate who served as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce. Lázaro was ordained to serve as the Coadjutor Bishop of Ponce on 25 April 2002, and was elevated to bishop of the diocese on 11 June 2003. He retired on 22 December 2015 and was succeeded by Rubén González Medina, the Bishop of Caguas.

Biography

Early life Felix Lázaro was born in Logroño, La Rioja, Spain, on 2 March 1936. He entered the Piarist Fathers Order, who are dedicated to education. He was ordained a priest on 9 April 1961 by Bishop Ricardo Antonio Suriñach Carreras. In 1970, Lázaro was sent to teach at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He later became dean of the College of the Arts and Humanities of the university.

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Ponce Pope John Paul II appointed Lázaro as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Ponce on 20 March 2002. He was consecrated on 25 April 2002 by Bishop Suriñach. Upon the retirement of Suriñach on 11 June 2003, Lázaro automatically succeeded him as bishop.

On 12 December 2013, Lázaro was added to the list of illustrious Ponce citizens at a ceremony at the Park of the Illustrious Ponce Citizens in Tricentennial Park in Ponce.

On 22 December 2015, Pope Francis accepted Lázaro's resignation as bishop of Ponce.