Francisco Chimoio

Francisco Chimoio, OFMCap (born 6 December 1947), is a Mozambican Roman Catholic prelate who was the Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maputo, Mozambique, from 22 February 2003 until his age-related retirement on 5 May 2023. Before that, from 5 December 2000 until 22 February 2003, he was Bishop of the Diocese of Pemba. He was appointed bishop by Pope John Paul II. He was consecrated bishop at Quelimane on 25 February 2001. Pope Francis accepted Chimoio's age-related retirement request on 5 May 2023. The Archbishop Emeritus of Maputo, Mozambique is a member of the Catholic Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFMCap).

Early life and education He was born on 6 December 1947 in Búzi-Sofala, Sofala Province, Archdiocese of Beira, Mozambique. He joined the Capuchin order in 1967 and made perpetual vows on 26 February 1978. He studied philosophy and theology while in seminary, before he was ordained a priest. He holds a Licentiate in missiology, awarded in 1987, by the Pontifical University of Saint Anthony in Rome, Italy.

Priest He became a member of the Catholic Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, white in seminary. He was ordained a priest of that religious Order on 9 December 1979 at Macúti by Jaime Pedro Gonçalves, Archbishop of Beira. Chimoio initially worked as Superior of the Capuchin Custody in Quelimane. In 1984 he was sent to Rome for further studies. When he returned to Mozambique, he was appointed master of novices in his convent in Quelimane. From 1993 to 1999, Chimoio served as vice provincial of the Capuchin Province of Mozambique. He then worked again as master of novices. He later explained that he had been misinterpreted.

He assumed office during a period when Mozambique was recovering from a quarter-a-century of civil war. To complicate the social situation, Southern Africa, the region where the country is located was undergoing a severe drought. He advocated civility towards one another, condemned hate speech and together with Auxiliary Bishop António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo, promoted unity among the people.

On 5 May 2023, Pope Francis accepted Archbishop Chimoio's age related resignation from the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Maputo. The Holy Father appointed Archbishop João Carlos Hatoa Nunes, previously Coadjutor Bishop, as the successor at Maputo.