Bernardo Álvarez Afonso was born on 29 July 1949 in Breña Alta, island of La Palma, in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

[1] On 29 June 2005, Pope Benedict XVI named him bishop of San Cristóbal de La Laguna.

In a 2007 interview with local paper La Opinión de Tenerife, he stated: "There are adolescents of thirteen years of age who are minors and are totally in agreement and furthermore desire it.

[3] On April 24, the Mass of thanksgiving for the canonization presided over by the Pope was celebrated in Rome and attended by Bishop Bernardo Álvarez accompanied by a Canarian representation.

[4] On 21 December 2019, Álvarez opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on the occasion of the Jubilee Year for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the diocese.