Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime is a Spanish prelate, the tenth head of the Salesian Order, and a longtime acquaintance of Pope Francis.

Born into a fishing family on August 21, 1960, in Gozón-Luanco, Asturias, Spain, he joined the Salesians of Don Bosco, taking his first vows on September 3, 1978, and his perpetual vows on June 17, 1984. Fernández Artime was ordained a priest on July 4, 1987, in León, Spain.

He holds a licentiate in pastoral theology, and in philosophy and pedagogy. He has served in various roles within the Salesian order, including as provincial delegate for youth ministry, director of a school in Ourense, and provincial counsellor and vicar.

From 2000 to 2006, Fernández Artime was the Provincial of the Salesian Province of Leon. In 2009, he was appointed Superior of the Province of South Argentina, based in Buenos Aires. His leadership skills were further recognized when he was elected Rector Major of the Salesian Congregation on March 25, 2014, becoming the tenth Successor of Don Bosco. This appointment made him the first Spaniard to hold this office.

In September 2023, Pope Francis elevated Fernández Artime to the rank of cardinal, making him the first cleric to be made a cardinal while heading a religious order. He was appointed to the titular see of Ursona with the dignity of archbishop and consecrated on April 20, 2024, at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

As Rector Major, Fernández Artime led the Salesian Congregation, one of the largest religious orders, for a decade from 2014 to 2024. He was confirmed for a second six-year term as Rector Major in 2020, demonstrating the confidence placed in his leadership. He was scheduled to end his mandate as Rector Major on August 16, 2024.

On January 6, 2025, Pope Francis appointed the cardinal pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Cardinal Fernández Artime is reported to be close to Pope Francis on pastoral matters. He is passionate about education and is especially concerned about young prisoners. Accompanying young people through life “is in my DNA, and wherever I go and whatever I’m asked to do, the emphasis will always be on young people, education, the most vulnerable,” he has said.

In an interview in 2018, he called anti-migration policies “inhumane” and expressed his opposition to seeing immigration as a security threat, arguing that “another person is not a danger.” He has also supported Francis’ line on the war in Ukraine.

Cardinal Fernández Artime supports a synodal approach in the Church, in line with the call of Pope Francis. As Rector Major of the Salesians, he emphasized the importance of “walking together” and seeking new paths for evangelization, especially among young people. He took part in the Synod on Synodality.

He has expressed firm loyalty to the Pope. In his homily on becoming a cardinal, Fernandez Artime said:

“Our service as pastors of the Church and also as cardinals is not an honor. It is first and foremost a service of communion with the Pope. Don Bosco taught us to always say ‘Long live the Pope’. We, the Salesian Family and Salesians in the world are and will always be with the Pope. (…) And I believe that it is a great second contribution that we must give to the Church. (…) Service to the Pope, to the Church, and to the people.”

He also recalled the following words of Don Bosco, the importance of Mary’s presence, and that “in its time you will understand everything.” Quoting the Salesian founder’s words uttered shortly before his death, he said: “I live a reality that I don’t understand, but I entrust myself to the Lord and to Our Lady. It is certain that they will help us understand what we are experiencing. I invite everyone to put ourselves in the hands of the Lord and of His Mother.”

Under Fernández Artime’s leadership, the Salesians have grown closer to the Vatican, notably by signing a partnership with the Dicastery for Communication in 2017.

In his role as cardinal, Fernández Artime served as a member of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life before being appointed its pro-prefect in January 2025.