Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency, The Most Reverend
Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce
Honorific-Suffix:O.C.D.
Emeritus Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait
Church:Catholic Church
Diocese:Rusubbicari
See:Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait
Appointed:-->
Term:1976 to 1981
Predecessor:Ubaldo Teofano Stella, O.C.D.
Successor:Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, O.C.D.
Ordination:1 June 1928
Consecration:16 July 1976
Consecrated By:Jean-Édouard-Lucien Rupp
Birth Name:Ubaldo Teofano Stella
Birth Date:21 April 1904
Birth Place:Lequeitio, Spain.
Death Place:Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Religion:Catholic

Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce (1904-1995) was a Spanish Discalced Carmelite friar who served as the Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait from 1976 to 1981. He was born on April 21, 1904, in Lequeitio, Spain.[1]

Life

Early life

Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce was born in Lequeitio, a town in the province of Biscay in the Basque Country, Spain.[2]

Priesthood and Episcopal Ministry

He was ordained a priest on June 1, 1928, in the Order of Discalced Carmelites.[3]

After serving as a priest for many years, Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of Kuwait on March 17, 1966. He served in this position for ten years until he was appointed as the Titular Bishop of Rusubbicari and Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait[4] on May 31, 1976.[5]

He was ordained bishop on July 16, 1976, at the St. Joseph and St. Therese of the Infant Jesus in Baghdad, Iraq, by Archbishop Jean-Édouard-Lucien Rupp, the Titular Archbishop of Dionysiopolis, and was assisted by Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, C.M., the Titular Archbishop of Diocletiana, and Archbishop Ernest-Marie de Jésus-Hostie Charles Albert Nyary, O.C.D., the Archbishop of Baghdad.

As the Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait, Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce played an important role in the development of the Catholic Church in Kuwait.[6] During his tenure, he oversaw the construction of several churches, including the Holy Family Cathedral, which remains a major landmark in Kuwait City.

Retirement

Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce retired as the Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait on November 5, 1981, and returned to Spain. He died on April 4, 1995, in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, at the age of 90.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bishop Victor León Esteban San Miguel y Erce [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2023-02-15 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  2. Web site: SAN MIGUEL ERCE, León Esteban - Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia . 2023-02-15 . aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus . eu.
  3. Web site: 2014-01-16 . Karmel Aldizkaria . 2023-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140116081923/http://www.karmelaldizkaria.com/upload/Karmeldarrak_Markinan.pdf . 2014-01-16 .
  4. Web site: Recent Events in Qatar . 2023-02-15 . www.gcatholic.org.
  5. Web site: 2019-08-10 . ABC MADRID 19-06-1976 página 37 - Archivo ABC . 2023-02-15 . abc.
  6. Web site: Welcome to AVONA (Bishop Ubaldo Teofano Stella, OCD, First Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait) . 2023-02-15 . avona.org.
  7. Web site: Order of Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D.) . 2023-02-15 . GCatholic.