Cardinal José da Cruz Policarp, Patriarch Emeritus of Lisbon expires

Lisbon, Portugal, 13 March 2014: Cardinal José da Cruz Policarp, Patriarch Emeritus of Lisbon expired on 12 March at the age of 78. His death has caused great sadness in Portugal, not only among the Catholic community but also among others.

According to Ansa news agency, Pedro Passos Coelho, Portuguese Prime Minister, called the deceased cardinal "a man of tolerance and faith, who served the community and the Catholic Church." José da Cruz Policarpo, was Patriarch of Lisbon for 15 years, from 1998 to 2013 and was made ​​a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal Policarp's funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon , March 14th , at the Cathedral of Lisbon.

With the demise of the Cardinal Polycarp, the College of Cardinals has a total of 217 cardinals, among whom 120 are electors and 97 non-voters.
Source: VR Sedoc