Cardinal Paulo Cezar Costa, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Brazil’s capital Brasilia, is a strong proponent of dialogue who has risen rapidly through the ecclesiastical ranks to become one of the youngest members of the College of Cardinals as of October 2024.

Born on July 20, 1967, in Valença, Brazil, Costa was ordained as a priest in 1992. He pursued higher education in philosophy and theology in Brazil before obtaining his doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2001.

After returning to Brazil in 2002, Costa served as a parish priest and later dedicated himself to educating future clergy. He held positions such as rector of a seminary, director of an institute of theology and philosophy, and professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

In 2010, at the young age of 43, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro. His leadership abilities were quickly recognized, and in 2016, Pope Francis named him Bishop of São Carlos.

One of Costa’s significant achievements has been serving as the administrative director of World Youth Day in 2013, where he had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis during the pontiff’s first international trip.

During his tenure as Bishop of São Carlos from 2016 to 2020, Costa made several important contributions, including creating an Ecclesiastical Tribunal, establishing a Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons, and reopening the Propaedeutic Seminary.

In October 2020, Pope Francis appointed Costa as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Brasilia, a position he assumed in December of that year. This appointment placed him at the center of Brazil’s political and religious landscape, as Brasilia is the country’s capital and home to the headquarters of the Episcopal Conference.

On August 27, 2022, Pope Francis elevated Costa to the rank of cardinal, making him one of the youngest members of the College of Cardinals. At the time of his elevation, he was the third youngest cardinal elector, highlighting his rapid rise within the Church.

As Archbishop of Brasilia, Costa has emphasized the importance of dialogue and engagement with various sectors of society, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. He has spoken out against political polarization, warning that ideology can mask people’s real problems. Costa advocates for a focus on concrete solutions rather than ideological debates, particularly in the context of Brazil’s political landscape.

While Costa maintains that the Church should not be involved in party politics, he has shown a willingness to take firm stances on issues important to the Church, such as ecology and the protection of the Amazon.

He has taken a strong stance against abortion and in defense of life from conception. In June 2024, he presided over a Mass for Life and against Abortion at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília, where he highlighted “the need for a firm and peaceful defense of human life from fertilization, as taught by the Social Doctrine of the Church.”