Funeral services for Bishop Francis E. Hyland, 66, first bishop of Atlanta, will be held Monday, Feb. 5, at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

Bishop Hyland died Wednesday morning at St. Charles Seminary, Overbrook, Philadelphia, where he had lived since his resignation as Atlanta’s bishop in 1961.

A native of Philadelphia, Bishop Hyland was born Oct. 9, 1901, the son of the late James and Sarah McCarron Hyland. He was educated in parochial schools and the Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia.

He studied for the priesthood at St. Charles Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood June 11, 1927. After his ordination he took postgraduate studies in canon law at Catholic University and received a doctor of canon law in 1928.

After serving as secretary to the Apostolic Delegation in Washington, Father Hyland served as pastor of the Church of Resurrection in Chester and Our Lady of Lourdes in Philadelphia.

He was appointed auxiliary bishop of the former Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta and was appointed first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Atlanta, July 17, 1956. He was installed as bishop on Nov. 8 of that year.

In October, 1961, Pope John XXIII accepted Bishop Hyland’s request to resign as bishop because of ill health. He was named titular bishop of Bisica.

Bishop Hyland’s last visit to Atlanta was in August. He attended ceremonies honoring Msgr. Patrick J. O’Connor, who retired as pastor of St. Thomas More parish.

Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan said, “Bishop Francis E. Hyland was a pastor and a priest for the People of God. He was always most satisfied when, as a bishop, he could do pastoral work - administering the sacraments, preaching and counseling. He gave instructions to lonely persons who came to him in their search for faith. This was his food and drink. He was an example of the Good Shepherd -- knowing his own and wanting them to know him.”

“As a bishop he capably handled the administrative duties of the new diocese, establishing a number of our most important parishes and opening up avenues of faith and grace in towns and villages.”

“Atlanta will always be in his debt. We can show this by our prayers. Those of us who follow him, Bishop Bernardin, myself, our priests and sisters, can honor him by tirelessly carrying out what he began with vision.”