Leading Candidate Named
Octavi Vilà, the current Bishop of Girona, is the leading candidate to become the next Archbishop of Barcelona, according to informed sources cited by Religión Confidencial on 6 October 2026. He would succeed Cardinal Joan Josep Omella, who turned 80 and submitted his resignation in April 2021 upon reaching the canonical age limit of 75, but has remained in post pending a successor.
Vilà heads the shortlist of candidates proposed by Filippo Iannone, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, to Pope Leo XIV. While his nomination is not yet official, sources suggest the Pope may have already signed the appointment, with the announcement expected in the coming weeks.
Spiritual Profile and Support
Bishop Vilà, 65, was appointed Bishop of Girona in February 2024, with his episcopal ordination held on 21 April 2024 at Girona Cathedral. Before entering the episcopacy, he was a Cistercian monk and served as abbot of Poblet Abbey from 2015. His spiritual background and approachable manner are highlighted as key strengths.
His candidacy has been actively supported by Cardinal Omella, who has discreetly led the succession process. It is also reported that the Government of the Generalitat, under President Salvador Illa, advocated in Rome and Madrid for a Catalan-born bishop aligned with cultural nationalism, and viewed Vilà as the most suitable candidate to understand the ecclesial realities of Barcelona and Catalonia.
"The surprise is already known, forged in ecclesial circles with a nationalist leaning," reports Religión Confidencial.
Wider Context and Other Candidates
Archesbishop Joan Planellas of Tarragona played a prominent role in advocating for a Catalan candidate. The recent extended pastoral visit to the Archdiocese of Tarragona by Piero Pioppo, the papal nuncio, is also noted as a significant moment in the process.
Other potential candidates were considered but ruled out: the archbishops of Seville and Valencia reportedly declined to leave their sees, while François-Xavier Bustillo’s position in France made relocation difficult. Auxiliary bishops of Barcelona, Javier Vilanova and David Abadías, were also discussed, but are expected to be moved elsewhere. If Vilà’s appointment does not proceed, Sergi Gordo, Bishop of Tortosa and former auxiliary in Barcelona, is seen as a possible alternative, though not Omella’s preferred choice.
Reported by elconfidencialdigital.com, religiondigital.org, L'Empordà, Regió 7, El Periódico (CA).
