Pope Leo XIV accepts resignations of two Mexican bishops

Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignations of two Mexican bishops on September 21, 2026, and appointed successors for their respective sees.

The Pope accepted the resignation of Víctor Valentín Sánchez Espinosa as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Puebla de los Ángeles. Jorge Carlos Patrón Wong, the current archbishop of Xalapa, will succeed him as the ninth archbishop of Puebla. The Archdiocese of Puebla stated that Sánchez Espinosa will serve as apostolic administrator until Patrón Wong takes office on November 19, 2026.

The Pope also accepted the resignation of Fidencio López Plaza as bishop of the Diocese of Querétaro. Víctor Alejandro Aguilar Ledesma, currently the bishop of the Diocese of Celaya, will become the eleventh bishop of Querétaro. Both Sánchez Espinosa and López Plaza had reached the age of 75, the age at which diocesan bishops submit their resignations to the Pope.