Jorge Jiménez Carvajal is one of the new cardinals created in the August consistory. He comes from Colombia, where he is also archbishop emeritus of Cartagena de Indias.
In 2002, he was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia together with another priest. In that moment, he says he remembered a phrase from the Bible: his tongue clung to the roof of his mouth.
CARD. JORGE JIMENEZ CARVAJAL
ORIG SPANISH
They started walking us along some torturous roads and I say that at that moment my tongue clung to the roof of my mouth. I tried to start praying a rosary. They prevented me, they insisted that I should not speak. But I was still babbling the Hail Mary. And I said: 'this is what we call fear'.
Cardinal Jimenez was traveling with a caravan of cars to celebrate the confirmation of a group of young people in San Antonio de Aguilera, a small Colombian town.
The guerrillas intercepted the convoy to take the then bishop and ordered the rest of the cars to leave, but Father Desiderio Orjuela, who was with them, refused. He preferred to be taken away as well.
CARD. JORGE JIMENEZ CARVAJAL
ORIG SPANISH
I was fortunate during the kidnapping, because I was kidnapped with a priest.
FLASH (9:08-9:19)
And to him they said, 'You go ahead.' There were several cars behind us. 'You guys go ahead.' And he said, 'No, I don't leave my bishop alone'. And that saved me, I think.
Jorge Enrique Jiménez and Desiderio Orjuela accompanied each other and together, with their faith, they were able to survive their kidnapping.
CARD. JORGE JIMENEZ CARVAJAL
ORIG SPANISH
Actually, we lived this experience. We prayed the rosary together. We asked them and insisted they get us a Bible so we could pray the psalms, but it was never possible. But all the time we were in the presence of God. It comforted us a lot.
FLASH (0:18 – 0:22)
Colombia has suffered a lot because of drug trafficking.
After eight days, they were freed by a special operation of the Colombian army. It was a brief experience, but one that deeply impacted the now Cardinal.
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