Lawrence Sydney Nicasio

Lawrence Sydney Nicasio (5 September 1956 – 1 January 2024) was a Belizean clergyman and Roman Catholic bishop in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan.

Biography Lawrence Sydney Nicasio was born on 5 September 1956, and came from a Garifuna family. He attended Augustine High School in his hometown of Dangriga and graduated from Belize Teachers' College in Belize City. He then taught at various schools and was appointed director of the Catholic schools in the Toledo District.

In 1981 he began studying philosophy at Cardinal Glennon College in Shrewsbury, Missouri, which was followed by studies at the theology college on the same grounds, Kenrick Theological Seminary, near St. Louis. He was Vicar in Belmopan for 13 years from 1991 to 2004, pastor in Orange Walk Town, and then pastor of two suburban churches in Belize City: St. Ignatius (2005–2008) and St. John Vianney (2008–2013).

On 26 January 2017, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Dorick M. Wright and appointed Nicasio as the new Bishop of Belize City-Belmopan. He received episcopal consecration from the Apostolic Nuncio in Belize, Archbishop Léon Kalenga Badikebele, on 13 May 2017. Co-consecrators were the Archbishop of Nassau, Patrick Christopher Pinder, and Fernand J. Cheri, OFM, Auxiliary Bishop in New Orleans.

Nicasio died from cancer at his residence in Belize City, on 1 January 2024, at the age of 67.