Luis Rafael Zarama

Early life and education

Luis Rafael Zarama Pasqualetto was born in Pasto, Nariño, Colombia, the oldest of the six children of Rafael Zarama and Maria Pasqualetto de Zarama.

Zarama attended the seminary of Pasto and the Universidad Mariana, where he studied philosophy and theology from 1982 to 1987. He began his studies in canon law at the Pontifical Xavierian University in Bogotá in 1987, and earned his licentiate in 1991.

In the mid-1980s and while he attended seminary, Zarama also taught at high schools.

Ordination and ministry

Emigrating to the United States in 1991, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Atlanta on November 27, 1993.

Zarama then served as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Atlanta until 1996. From 1996 to 2006, he was administrator of St. Helena Mission in Clayton and pastor of St. Mark Parish in Clarkesville. He became an American citizen on July 4, 2000.

On becoming a US citizen, Zarama said: "I'm happy here, I choose to be here, and I feel like I'm part of the system as a citizen."

Within the Court of Appeals of the Ecclesiastical Province of Atlanta, he has been advocate (1993–1997) and defender of the bond (1997–present).

Zarama was named assistant director of the Vocations Office in 2000 and vicar general in 2006. He also has been a member of both the Committee for Continuing Education of Priests since 1996, and the Priest Personnel Board since 2004. In 2007, he was raised to the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness.

In addition to his duties as vicar general, he became judicial vicar in 2008 and serves as the Archbishop's delegate to North Georgia's Hispanic community.

Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta

On July 27, 2009, Zarama was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta, and Titular Bishop of Bararus by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on September 29, 2009 from Archbishop Wilton Gregory at the Cathedral of Christ the King. Bishop Zarama remained the Vicar General and Vicar Judaical for the Archdiocese.

Bishop of Raleigh

On July 5, 2017, Pope Francis appointed Zarama Bishop of the diocese of Raleigh. He was installed as Bishop of Raleigh on August 29, 2017 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh.

Coat of Arms

On a blue field is displayed an extra wide chevron of Gold (yellow). This device gives the illusion of two mountains; a gold one and a blue one. The gold mountain (the chevron) is charged with a scattering (semé) of red crosses to represent the Bishop’s home city of Pasto, in southwestern Colombia, which is known as “The Theological City.” The lower mountain (part of the blue field) has a golden lion’s head to represent the Evangelist, Saint Mark, who is the titular patron of the parish in Clarkesville, Georgia, on a mountain, where Bishop Zarama served as pastor. Above the chevron are a gold rose Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, also known as “The Little Flower,” and a silver (white) lily for Saint Joseph, the Foster Father of Jesus, who have served as Bishop Zarama’s particular patron throughout his life as a priest and now as a bishop. His Excellency, Bishop Zarama has selected for his motto the Latin phrase “DEUS CARITAS EST.” This phrase “GOD IS LOVE” is the title of an encyclical by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, and it sums up in a succinct statement all that the Church and Christianity are to be all about . . . sharing the love of God.

The achievement is completed with the external ornaments which are a gold episcopal processional cross, that is placed in back of and which extends above and below the shield, and the pontifical hat, called a “gallero,” with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all in green. These are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of The Holy See of March 31, 1969.