Overview
- The Holy See announced the choice on Wednesday, November 11, with simultaneous press conferences held in Barcelona and Girona at midday.
- Octavi Vilà, a 1961-born former abbot of Poblet and bishop of Girona since February 2024, accepted the nomination and will take possession of the archdiocese on December 19, 2026.
- Vilà learned of the proposal from apostolic nuncio Piero Pioppo after receiving a WhatsApp message and meeting the nuncio in Madrid on October 27, when he agreed to succeed Cardinal Juan José Omella.
- The incoming archbishop inherits a large, wealthy archdiocese that faces ongoing probes after an external audit led to the July intervention of three diocesan foundations over possible irregularities in asset sales and management.
- The appointment could shift dynamics within the Spanish bishops’ conference because Barcelona is a high‑profile see with strong ties to Catalan institutions and to Rome, and Vilà’s monastic background and support for Catalan liturgy signal likely pastoral priorities.