Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo, Cardinal-Priest of S. Antonio in Campo Marzio has passed away on Wednesday, 12 March 2014 at the age of 78. He was the Patriarch of Lisbon and therefore the Primate of Portugal, from 1998 to 2013, and was recently retired from his position.

http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardJP2-8.htm#126

Cardinal Policarpo was created Cardinal in 2001 by Blessed Pope John Paul II in his eighth Cardinal creation consistory on 21 February 2001. His motto was Per Obedientiam ad Libertatem, which means “Through obedience, to freedom”. This means that through obedience to God, we will gain freedom from sin and death and gain eternal life.

We pray for Cardinal Policarpo, that he will rest in peace, and God will reward him for all his hard and great work as the long time servant of God as the shepherd of the faithful in Lisbon, for all the ministries and good works he had done there for the sake of God and His people. May the Lord welcome him into His embrace in heaven and give him eternal rest and happiness that he deserved.

With the passing of Cardinal Policarpo, the College of Cardinals now stands at 217 members, with 120 Cardinal-electors and 97 Cardinal non-electors. The number of Cardinal-electors now is just at the specified maximum limit.

There are now 0 Cardinal-elector vacancy in the College of Cardinals, 0 vacant Cardinal Suburbicarian Sees (for Cardinal Bishops), 1 vacant Cardinal Title (for Cardinal Priests) and 6 vacant Cardinal Deaconries (for Cardinal Deacons).