Pope receives pontifical commissioner for Torreciudad

This morning Leo XIV received in audience Bishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, who, as of October 2024, will serve as pontifical commissary plenipotentiary to settle the open question between the Prelature of Opus Dei and the Bishop of Barbastro Monzón on the issue of Torreciudad.

This is the second audience in little more than three months, since on June 3, Bishop Alejandro Arellano was also received by the Pontiff in audience. Alejandro Arellano was also received by the pontiff in audience.

In addition, at the end of August 2025, this Spaniard was appointed by Pope Leo XIV as a member of the Dicastery for the ClergyOpus Dei, the organization in charge of accompanying, forming and supervising priests and deacons worldwide and an organism of the Holy See under which the Prelature of Opus Dei is placed following the change made by Pope Francis with the Motu Proprio Ad charisma tuendum.

Torreciudad, last days in the media spotlight

The scope of this meeting has not been made public, although a few days ago, on September 8, Bishop Ángel Pérez Pueyo, diocesan bishop of Barbastro Monzón, led a meeting with the bishop of Barbastro Monzón. Ángel Pérez Pueyo, diocesan bishop of Barbastro Monzón, led a new chapter in the development of the process, initiated in July 2023, when, in the homily of the patron saint festivities of Barbastro, he focused his words on the state of Torreciudad, implying his refusal to a possible decision of the Holy See that did not contemplate the main demands of the bishop.

Five days later, the esplanade of Torreciudad hosted the 33rd Marian Family Conference The central Mass was presided over by Ignacio Barrera, Regional Vicar of Opus Dei.

Decision in the hands of the Holy See

Since the appointment of the rector of Torreciudad in July 2023, unilaterally by the bishop of the diocese of Barbastro Monzón, the situation of Torreciudad and the whole complex has been immersed in a complicated process.

In October 2024, Pope Francis appointed Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as plenipotentiary commissary with the objective that this jurist would be in charge of resolving a solution to an issue, which has been joined by different requests from the bishop of Barbastro as well as differences of criteria with respect to the agreement between the Opus Dei prelature and the Aragonese diocese.

The last press release of Opus Dei dates back to June 2025 when he denied rumors of an alleged agreement between the Prelature of Opus Dei and the Diocese of Barbastro-Monzón in relation to Torreciudad and said he was awaiting the Vatican's decision.