Cardinal José Cobo Cano, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Madrid, is a relatively youthful and loyal supporter of Pope Francis whose progressive views, especially on social issues, closely match and even exceed those of the Pope.

Born on September 20, 1965 in Sabiote, Jaén, in southern Spain, Cobo Cano has a licentiate in civil law; a bachelor’s in theology, and a master’s degree in moral social theology.

Before entering the seminary, José Cobo Cano had already completed his degree in law, and his training in both the civil and ecclesiastical spheres is said to have contributed to his pastoral profile and his experience in various fields, including teaching.

After his ordination as a priest in 1994, Cobo Cano served in various pastoral roles in Madrid, including as a parish priest and archpriest. In 2017, he was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Madrid. Within the Spanish Episcopal Conference, he has been involved in social issues, particularly in the areas of migration and human promotion.

Pope Francis appointed Cobo Cano as Archbishop of Madrid on June 12, 2023 and just three months later elevated him to the rank of cardinal.

His appointment as Archbishop of Madrid at the age of 57 was notable for breaking tradition, as his predecessors had all previously led other dioceses. Pope Francis’ decision was seen as part of a broader effort to bring a new generation of leaders with pastoral experience to prominent positions in the Church.

Cobo Cano has been involved in addressing sexual abuse cases within the Church. In 2018, he played a role in reporting and criticizing the handling of a high-profile abuse case at an Opus Dei school in Bilbao.

Known as having distinctly progressive leanings, the cardinal has been vocal about the Church’s need to listen to the “signs of the times” and he has been especially willing to address contemporary challenges such as migration, inequality, and the changing role of women in society and the Church.

He has shown a stance of obedience and support for the Vatican’s declaration Fiducia Supplicans that allowed the blessing of same-sex couples, and reprimanded several priests in his archdiocese for a campaign of disobedience against Fiducia Supplicans.

It was an “artificial controversy that has taken everything out of context,” Cobo said in an interview.  “In Madrid, we will fully implement the Pope’s teaching and apply Fiducia Supplicans with the intensity that the document deserves and demands,” he added.

Cobo Cano is a strong defender of the synodal path promoted by Pope Francis. In a pastoral letter titled  “The Easter of the disciples,” he emphasized that the journey of the Church must be “in synodality,” being missionary disciples to “offer everyone the news of Jesus.”

Cardinal Cobo has expressed a strong communion and loyalty towards Pope Francis, saying that “there is no Church of Jesus Christ without the Pope, whoever he may be,” and calling for unity around the pontiff.

Cobo Cano sees the loss of the Church’s sociological influence as an “opportunity,” stating that it may be a “minority” but is “significant.”

He also has said he believes the Catholic Church should no longer be seen as a “service provider,” especially when celebrating the sacraments, but must above all “offer meaning.”

“We have to explain that man does not make himself, but comes from God… We have to explain to the poor, to migrants, to families, that it is worth living,” he said. “We have to speak of God not as an idea, but as a concrete experience,” he insisted.

The cardinal is considered to have a “Bergoglian” profile, embodying the kind of revolutionary change that Francis seeks for the Church in Spain.

Cardinal José Cobo Cano’s record on sexual abuse reportedly demonstrates a more proactive and victim-centered approach compared to some of his predecessors and colleagues in the Spanish Catholic Church.

Apart from Spanish, it is not clear if Cardinal Cobo Cano speaks any other languages.