The pope has appointed a new archbishop for the Archdiocese of Hartford.
Bishop Leonard Paul Blair succeeds Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, who has been the Archbishop of Hartford since December 2003, and passed the age of retirement, according to the archdiocese.
"I want to say how very happy and honored I am to be your new archbishop," Blair said.
The announcement of the fifth archbishop for the diocese was made this morning, and Bishop Blair was officially introduced as the new archbishop during a news conference at the Archdiocesan Center at Saint Thomas Seminary, 467 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield, this morning.
Blair said he was in Rome when he received word of his appointment and was able to thank Pope Francis in person.
It will also be streamed on the archdiocesan website and broadcast live on WJMJ-FM Radio (88.9/Hartford, 93.1/Hamden, 107.1/New Haven).
Bishop Blair, 64, was ordained a priest in 1976 and has been the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Toledo since 2003.
He will be installed as the Archbishop of Hartford on Monday, Dec. 16 at a ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, which is located at 140 Farmington Ave., Hartford.
