Toribio Ticona Porco was born in
Atocha in the
Potosi Department of Bolivia, on 25 April 1937. He first worked for the missionaries as a bell ringer and secretary in Atocha. He began his preparation for the priesthood in 1962 at a center for late vocations in Chile, but returned to Bolivia after only two months. At the Belgians' insistence he studied philosophy and theology for four years at the seminary in
Sucre. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Potosí on 29 January 1967. While a priest in
Chacarilla, a mining town of 2,000 people, he was mayor for 14 years. As an auxiliary bishop, he worked in the mining region of northern Potosí, based in the town of
Uncía in
Chayanta Province. On 20 May 2018
Pope Francis announced he would make Ticona a
cardinal on 28 June. Ticona learned of the surprise appointment while visiting his mother's grave near
Quillacollo. At the 28 June consistory, he was assigned the titular church of
Santi Gioacchino ed Anna al Tuscolano. Bolivian President
Evo Morales attended the ceremony and said he witnessed the creation of "our first indigenous cardinal and worker" with "profound happiness and joy". ==See also==