Augusto Alves da Rocha

Augusto Alves da Rocha was born on 17 July 1933 in Bertolinia, in the state of Piaui in northeastern Brazil. He completed preparatory studies in Teresina and in the Diocese of Crato, then went to Rome, where he studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University while living at the Pontifical Brazilian College. He was ordained a priest in Rome on 21 February 1960.

In May 1975 Pope Paul VI appointed him the first bishop of the Diocese of Picos, which had been created the previous year. He received episcopal consecration on 23 August 1975 in Floriano from Bishop Edilberto Dinkelborg, OFM, of Oeiras, with Bishops Paulo Hipolito de Souza Liborio of Parnaiba and Joaquim Rufino do Rego of Quixada as co-consecrators. His episcopal motto was In fide fundati, firm in the faith.

He led the Diocese of Picos for 26 years. On 24 October 2001 Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of Oeiras-Floriano. When Pope Benedict XVI divided that diocese on 27 February 2008, creating separate dioceses of Oeiras and Floriano, he became the first bishop of Floriano and was installed on 18 May 2008. Pope Benedict accepted his resignation on age grounds on 17 March 2010, and he was succeeded by Valdemir Ferreira dos Santos.

At national level he was vice president and later president of the CNBB's Northeast 4 regional body, covering Piaui. He was a member of the steering committee of Pax Christi International, a member of the board and president of the Movimento de Educacao de Base (MEB), and president of the Comissao Pastoral da Terra (CPT), the Catholic land pastoral commission.

In his later years Dom Augusto lived in Brasilia with one of his sisters. In 2023, at the age of 90, he celebrated the 48th anniversary of his episcopal ordination. A book about him, Vida e Missao (Life and Mission), was published during his retirement.

Dom Augusto Alves da Rocha died at 10.12 a.m. on Thursday 12 November 2026 at the Hospital Santa Lucia Sul in Brasilia, aged 93. He had been in hospital since 14 October and, according to local reports, had been receiving palliative care in his final weeks. The reason for his admission was not made public.

The Diocese of Floriano announced his death. The presidency of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), led by Cardinal Jaime Spengler, sent a note of condolence recalling his service to Picos, Oeiras-Floriano and Floriano and his commitment to human development, justice and peace. The mayors of Picos and Floriano each declared three days of official mourning, with flags flown at half mast on municipal buildings.

Dom Augusto is remembered as the founding bishop of two Piaui dioceses, Picos and Floriano, and as one of the longest serving bishops in the state's history. In declaring official mourning, Picos city hall cited his contribution to organising and developing the Diocese of Picos. The CNBB highlighted his national roles in Pax Christi, basic education and the land pastoral commission as part of his witness for justice and peace.