José de Jesús Pimiento Rodríguez

José de Jesús Horacio Pimiento Rodríguez (born February 18, 1919) is a Colombian Prelate of Roman Catholic Church. At the age of 97, he is the oldest living cardinal.

Life and career

Pimiento Rodríguez was born in Zapatoca, Colombia to Agustín Pimiento Lizarazo and Salomé Rodríguez Castillo. He was baptized on March 4, 1919. He was ordained a priest on December 14, 1941. He was appointed Auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Pasto, as well as Titular Bishop of Apollonis on June 14, 1955 and consecrated on August 28, 1955. On December 30, 1959, he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Monteria and was then appointed bishop of the Diocese of Garzón-Neiva February 29, 1964. His final appointment as bishop was on May 22, 1975 to the Archdiocese of Manizales, from which he retired on October 15, 1996. He consequently resumed work as a parish priest.

Cardinal

On 4 January 2015, Pope Francis announced that he would make him a cardinal on 14 February of the same year. Rodríguez is described by those who know him as “imbued with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council”. He did not travel to the consistory due to his advanced age; other arrangements were made for him to receive his biretta and ring. He was assigned to the titular church of San Giovanni Crisostomo a Monte Sacro Alto.