Ismael Perdomo Borrero

On June 19, 1903, Ismael Perdomo Borrero was consecrated the first bishop of the new diocese of Ibagué in the chapel of the Pio-Latino-American College in Rome by Cardinal Girolamo Maria Gotti. He governed this diocese for twenty years with great pastoral zeal, dedicating himself to the formation of the clergy and to evangelization. From 1908 to 1919, he also served as secretary of the Colombian Episcopal Conference.

On February 5, 1923, Pope Benedict XV appointed him titular archbishop of Traianopolis in Rhodope and coadjutor to the Archbishop of Bogotá, Msgr. Bernardo Herrera Restrepo, with the right of succession. Upon the latter's death on January 2, 1928, Msgr. Perdomo succeeded him as Archbishop of Bogotá and Primate of Colombia. He also assumed the presidency of the Colombian Episcopal Conference from 1928 to 1950.

His episcopate in Bogotá was marked by immense political challenges. During the 1930 presidential election, his hesitations and shifts in support between conservative candidates divided the conservative electorate, which allowed for the victory of the liberal candidate Enrique Olaya Herrera and ended 45 years of conservative hegemony. This episode earned him the satirical nickname of "Monseñor Perdimos" from his political detractors, a criticism he bore with heroic silence and patience.

Despite these tensions, Msgr. Perdomo successfully carried out major works. His most emblematic project was the construction of the new building for the Major Seminary of Bogotá, located in the El Chicó neighborhood, on land donated by the philanthropist Mercedes Sierra Cadavid. Designed by architect José María Montoya Valenzuela, this modern seminary was inaugurated on December 19, 1946. He also founded the San Benito Apostolic School in Sibaté and reorganized the parish structures of the archdiocese.

On April 9, 1948, during the violent riots of the "Bogotazo" triggered by the assassination of liberal leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, the archbishop's palace was looted and burned by the mob, destroying precious artistic treasures and the historical archives of the archdiocese. Msgr. Perdomo, who was then ill at the Major Seminary, narrowly escaped death. Faced with this tragedy and the destruction of his residence, he showed heroic resignation, publicly forgiving his persecutors and moving permanently to the Major Seminary. In 1949, he was also appointed the first military vicar of Colombia.

Msgr. Perdomo passed away on June 3, 1950, at the Major Seminary of Bogotá, at the age of 78, from complications of liver cancer.

The reputation for holiness of Msgr. Perdomo, nurtured by his patience in the face of political slander, his charity toward the poor, and his deep Marian piety, led to the opening of his cause for canonization. The diocesan informative process was opened on February 7, 1962, and closed on September 12, 1962. The cause was officially introduced in Rome on June 1, 1979. After the examination of his writings and his life, Pope Francis authorized, on July 7, 2017, the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thus conferring upon him the title of Venerable.

For Msgr. Perdomo to be declared blessed, the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession is required. A diocesan investigation into a scientifically unexplained healing was conducted in Bogotá. This diocesan phase officially closed on September 3, 2024, during a meeting of the presbyterate of the Archdiocese of Bogotá, presided over by Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio. The acts of the investigation were sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican on September 16, 2024, thus opening the Roman phase of the examination of the miracle.

The spirituality of Archbishop Ismael Perdomo Borrero was based on an absolute trust in Divine Providence, an unconditional pastoral charity, and a filial devotion to the Virgin Mary. Faced with political trials and the destruction of his property during the Bogotazo, he manifested exceptional gentleness and strength of soul, refusing to respond to attacks and constantly seeking to be an artisan of peace and reconciliation in a Colombia torn by violence.

His most visible legacy remains the Major Seminary of Bogotá, which he considered the heart of his archdiocese and the guarantor of the holiness of future priests. His mortal remains rest today in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the Primatial Cathedral of Bogotá, where many faithful come to pray and seek his intercession.