Trinidad-born Archbishop Robert Rivas, Archbishop Emeritus of Castries, St Lucia, died peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 80.
The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) announced his death in a statement yesterday, saying Rivas passed away at approximately 2.30 am on September 27.
The conference expressed profound sadness at his passing, while giving thanks for his life and decades of service to the Catholic Church and the Caribbean.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago on June 7, 1946, Rivas was ordained a priest of the Dominican Order, formally known as the Order of Preachers, in 1971.
He began his ministry in Trinidad and Tobago before being appointed the first Bishop of Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines, in 1990.
His ecclesiastical career subsequently took him to Barbados, where he served as Apostolic Administrator of Bridgetown, before he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Castries in 2007.
In 2008, he became Metropolitan Archbishop of Castries, leading the archdiocese until his retirement in 2022.
During his decades of priestly and episcopal ministry, Rivas served communities across the Caribbean, contributing to pastoral ministry, evangelisation, communications, youth development and formation.
The AEC said his ministry was marked by dedication to the people of the region and expressed gratitude for the contribution he made to the Church throughout his life.
The conference also extended condolences to his family, the Dominican Order, the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese of Castries, and all those mourning his death.
In its statement, the AEC said it was entrusting Rivas to the mercy of God, expressing confidence that he was at peace with the Lord whom he had served faithfully.
The conference concluded its tribute with a prayer for his eternal rest, asking that perpetual light shine upon him.
"May he rest in peace," the statement said.
