Antonio Ribeiro; Roman Catholic Cardinal of Lisbon

Antonio Ribeiro, 69, the Roman Catholic cardinal of Lisbon, known for his efforts to modernize the church in Portugal. Prime Minister Antonio Guterres declared today a national day of mourning and Pope John Paul II sent his condolences, describing Ribeiro as “an intrepid pastor” who paid “permanent attention to the less well-off.” Born to a poor family in a village near the northeastern city of Braga, Ribeiro graduated from Rome’s Gregorian University. He later became active in movements that sought to adapt the church to modern times after the reforms of Vatican II. He was elevated to cardinal in 1971. Ribeiro had a weekly religious television program between 1959 and 1967. On Tuesday in Lisbon of cancer.