On October 2, 2011, Mons. Salvador Piñeiro García-Calderón took his canonical office as the new Archbishop of Ayacucho. He replaces Mons. Luis Aguirre, SM, Ayacucho’s archbishop from 2001-2011, now retired.
The installation ceremony was held at the city’s 400-year old Cathedral Basilica with a concelebrated mass at 10 a.m. It was a lovely event attended by bishops, priests, religious and lay people from all walks of life of Huamanga. The celebrations started the day before at the Santa Clara Church where the new archbishop consecrated the statue of “Señor de Nazareno” followed by a religious procession in the evening.

On Sunday morning before the church ceremony there was a welcome parade around the city plaza which was attended by school children, teachers, city officials and the police. There were also dances, fireworks and cheers for both the retiring archbishop and the incoming one.

Last September the city had given honours to Mons. Luis Aguirre for his outstanding service as pastor of the archdiocese awarding him the city medal and declaring him “Illustrious Son of Ayacucho”.  After the religious ceremony there were speeches and “ brindis de honor” followed by a delicious lunch for all the religious, clergy and visitors at the Centro Cultural de Huamanga.

To represent the Columban Sisters at the celebrations, Sisters Martina Kim and Gloria Santos travelled from Lima to Ayacucho. After the Mass they met Mons. Luis and offered him a small token of gratitude for all the support he has given to the Congregation, especially to Sisters Mary Nolan, Ann Carbon, Sophia Kim and Erisa Lee (who is still working in Ayacucho.) He was delighted to see Srs Martina and Gloria and assured them that the Mental Health Clinic, which is now in hands of the Brothers of Charity, continues to operate. He invited them to visit him in Callao, Lima, where he will be retiring to and where he is from.