‘A people's priest': Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia dies at 86

Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia, the first Singapore-born clergyman to be appointed as head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, has died at the age of 86.

- Ian Cheng

Announcing the death on Facebook late on Dec 17, Cardinal William Goh said Archbishop Emeritus Chia "passed away peacefully this evening at St Theresa's Home".

Arrangements for the public to pay their respects and the funeral proceedings will be announced later, he added.

Earlier in the day, at about 2.50pm, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore posted on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, calling for prayers for the archbishop emeritus.

"His Grace, Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia, is critically ill. We invite all to pray for him and for those who care for him during this time," it said.

In an hour, the posts collectively drew nearly 2,000 reactions, with commenters praying for his recovery and wishing him well.

In a Facebook post just before Dec 17 midnight, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said: "A devoted shepherd and steadfast pillar of the Catholic community, his unwavering faith, humility, and compassion enriched many lives. My deepest condolences to the Catholic community."