Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, is a Cistercian monk who, like many other cardinals chosen by Pope Francis, has a strong commitment to social justice issues — a reputation that has earned Tempesta the nickname of a “worker bishop.”

Born on June 23, 1950, in São José do Rio Pardo, Brazil, Tempesta entered the Cistercian monastery of São Bernardo in 1967 after completing his high school studies. He then studied philosophy at the monastery of São Bento in São Paulo and theology at the Pius IX Salesian Theological Institute. He took his religious vows in the Order of the Cistercians in 1969, and was ordained priest on December 7, 1974.

His ecclesiastical career progressed rapidly. In 1984, he became prior of his monastery while also serving as a parish priest and coordinator of communications and diocesan pastoral works. In 1996, when the monastery of São Bernardo was elevated to the status of an abbey, Tempesta was elected as its first abbot.

On February 26, 1997, Tempesta was appointed Bishop of São José do Rio Preto. He later served as Archbishop of Belém do Pará from 2004 to 2009 before being named Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro by Pope Benedict XVI on February 27, 2009.

He served as vice president of the Norte 2 Regional of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, president of the National Commission for Culture, Education and Social Communications and full member of the permanent council, the pastoral council and the economic council of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil.

Pope Francis elevated Tempesta to the rank of cardinal on February 22, 2014, assigning him the titular church of Santa Maria Madre della Provvidenza a Monte Verde. As cardinal, he has been appointed to several important Vatican congregations and councils.

Tempesta has been actively involved in various social and pastoral initiatives. He participated in the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2007. In 2013, he welcomed Pope Francis to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tempesta was a strong advocate for vaccination, even hosting a vaccination event at the feet of the Christ the Redeemer statue, despite persistent questions over their ethical nature, safety and effectiveness.

Throughout his career, Cardinal Tempesta has been known for his communication skills and his commitment to social issues, especially tackling poverty, earning him the nickname of a “worker bishop.” He has spent much of his time in the episcopate showing proximity to his flock and addressing social issues.

The cardinal has been a strong advocate for pro-life issues — an aspect that made him for a short time an ally of Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. In 2007, he debated with the Brazilian health minister about abortion, demonstrating his opposition to the practice. In a famous case involving a young Brazilian girl’s abortion in 2009, he defended the Church’s official position against the dissenting view of Archbishop Rino Fisichella, then president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The cardinal follows the official position of the Catholic Church, which does not approve of same-sex unions. However, he emphasises the importance of welcoming and respecting all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

As archbishop of a notoriously violent city, in 2016 Cardinal Tempesta had to take shelter behind his car during a gun battle between police and armed bandits while on his way to the airport.

Cardinal Tempesta has been committed to using new and social media as means of spreading the Gospel, indicating an openness to modern methods of communication for evangelization. However, he stopped posting on X in May 2022 shortly after Elon Musk bought the company, although it is not clear if that was the reason for the cessation. He still has an X account.

Cardinal Tempesta has spoken out in favor of protecting the environment and combating climate change. He supports Pope Francis’ initiatives in this area, including the encyclical Laudato Si’, which addresses the environmental issue.

As an active member of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), Cardinal Tempesta supports the process of synodality promoted by Pope Francis, which seeks greater participation and dialogue within the Church.

The Brazilian cardinal has shown concern for the issue of migrants and refugees, aligning himself with Pope Francis’ call to welcome and protect these vulnerable populations. The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, under his leadership, has programmes to support migrants and refugees.