ROME — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of 75-year-old Peruvian Cardinal Juan Cipriani Thorne of Lima and has named a 68-year-old professor of theology to succeed him.

The appointment of Archbishop-designate Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, a professor of theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, was announced by the Vatican Jan. 25 along with Cipriani’s retirement.

The cardinal, who was ordained a priest of Opus Dei in 1977, had led the Archdiocese of Lima for just over 20 years. St. John Paul II named him a cardinal in 2001.

Castillo was born in Lima Feb. 28, 1950. After earning a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, he entered the seminary and was sent to Rome to study, earning his philosophy and theology degrees from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Lima in 1984, he continued his studies in Rome, earning a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian in 1987.

For the past 30 years, he has taught theology at the Catholic University of Peru while also assisting at parishes and serving on archdiocesan or national offices for youth ministry, campus ministry and vocations.