section_path: Biography
section_name: Biography
paragraph_text: Biography
  
  Vives i Sicília was born on 24 July 1949 in Barcelona, the third son of Francesc Vives i Pons and Cornèlia Sicília Ibáñez, who were small retailers. He entered the seminary in 1965 and studied humanities, philosophy and theology. In 1974, Vives was ordained a priest in his native parish of Santa Maria del Taulat de Barcelona.
  
  On 9 June 1993 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Barcelona and titular bishop of Nona. He received his episcopal consecration on 5 September from Ricardo María Carles Gordó, Archbishop of Barcelona. Pope John Paul II named him coadjutor bishop of Urgell on 25 June 2001. Upon the retirement of his predecessor Joan Martí Alanis on 12 May 2003, Vives succeeded as Bishop of Urgell and co-prince of Andorra. On 10 July 2003, he took the Constitutional Oath as Co-Prince of Andorra at Casa de la Vall, Andorra la Vella. Vives i Sicília was given the personal title of archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 March 2010.
  
  On 12 July 2024, shortly before Vives reached the age of 75 when he was required to submit his resignation, Pope Francis named Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat as coadjutor bishop of Urgell, to succeed Vives when his resignation is accepted.
  
  Vives, in his capacity as co-prince, officially opened the 2025 Games of the Small States of Europe in Andorra on 27 May 2025. On 31 May 2025, Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Vives, ending his term as both Bishop of Urgell and as the co-prince of Andorra.