The Holy Father Benedict XVI has authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the Decree on Heroic Virtues of the Servant of God Álvaro del Portillo, the first successor of St. Josemaría as head of Opus Dei.

Don Álvaro was the promoter of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and its first Chancellor, thus fulfilling the desire of St. Josemaría to establish in Rome a university center to serve the Church throughout the world.

The current Chancellor of the University, Bishop Javier Echevarría, upon learning the news expressed "gratitude to God for this exemplary pastor who loved the Lord and his Church", noting that "with his preaching and pastoral visits to different countries, he helped hundreds of thousands of people to discover the joy in faithfulness to Jesus Christ."

Pictures of Don Álvaro at the Santa Croce