Toronto's retired Catholic archbishop Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic died early Friday after a lengthy illness, the Archdiocese of Toronto announced in a statement.
He was 81.
Ambrozic had served as the city's archbishop from 1990 to 2006. His successor, Archbishop Thomas Collins offered his condolences.
"Cardinal Ambrozic's tremendous contributions to the spiritual life of the faithful of our Archdiocese and the heritage of his wisdom, his knowledge, and his love of the priesthood will remain with us all," he said in the statement.
The late cardinal was born in 1930 in Slovenia. He immigrated to Canada in 1948 and settled near Markham, Ont. after his family lived in several refugee camps in Austria. Shortly afterward, Ambrozic entered St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto where he would often return to visit during his 56 years as a priest and 35 years as a bishop.
A memorial page has been created for Ambrozic. His body will lie in state at St. Michael's Cathedral for a public viewing at a date that has yet to be announced.
