Francisco Chimoio

Francisco Chimoio, OFMCap (born 6 December 1947), is a Mozambican Roman Catholic bishop. He has been the Roman Catholic archbishop of Maputo, Mozambique, since 2003. Life Francisco Chimoio was born in Búzi-Sofala, Mozambique. He joined the Capuchin order in 1967 and made perpetual vows on February 26, 1978. On December 9, 1979 he received the Sacrament of Holy Orders in Macúti from the Bishop of Beira, Jaime Pedro Gonçalves. Chimoio initially worked as Superior of the Capuchin Custody in Quelimane. In 1984 he was sent to Rome for further studies, where he obtained a licentiate in missiology from the Pontifical Antonianum University in 1987. After returning to his homeland, he became master of novices in his convent in Quelimane. From 1993 to 1999, Chimoio served as vice provincial of the Capuchin Province of Mozambique. He then worked again as master of novices. Pope John Paul II appointed him to the position of bishop of Pemba on 5 December 2000. The bishop's consecration took place on 25 February 2001. On 22 February 2003, John Paul II elevated him to the position of archbishop of Maputo; he is the head of the catholic church in Mozambique. In 2007, Chimoio he was quoted as having said that some condoms and anti-retroviral medication made in Europe have been deliberately infected with HIV "in order to finish quickly the African people". He later explained that he had been misinterpreted.