1975-1994

7 July: Inauguration of the new shrine of Our Lady of Torreciudad in Huesca, Spain.

15 September: Alvaro del Portillo was elected to succeed the founder at a congress of Opus Dei members called for that purpose, as required by canon law.

1982. 28 November: John Paul II established Opus Dei as a personal prelature, a juridical structure more accurately reflecting Opus Dei’s theological and pastoral nature, and appointed Mgr. Alvaro del Portillo as prelate.

1983. 19 March: Formal execution of the apostolic constitution establishing Opus Dei as a personal prelature.

1985. Inauguration of the Roman Academic Centre of the Holy Cross, which in 1998 would become the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

1991. 6 January: John Paul II ordained Mgr. Alvaro del Portillo as bishop.

1992. 17 May: Beatification of Josemaría Escrivá in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

1994. 23 March: Death of Bishop Alvaro del Portillo in Rome just hours after his re­turn from a trip to the Holy Land.