Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Madrid, Spain, Ordinary emeritus for the Eastern-Rite faithful in Spain, was born in Castañeda, province and diocese of Santander, on May 16th 1945. After studying the Magisterium at the Escuela Normal and a year of teaching in Santander, he entered the seminary for late vocations, the Colegio Mayor El Salvador in Salamanca, where he attended courses in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of that city, obtaining a licentiate in two disciplines. He also obtained, again at the Complutense University, a Diploma in Enseñanza de Adultos.

He was ordained a priest on July 29th, 1973 in Santander, remaining incardinated in that diocese.

After priestly ordination he was a member of the team of priests of the Assumption Parish in Torrelavega for youth ministry, director of the Casa de los muchachos and Professor of the Escuela Universitaria de Formación del Profesorado ‘Sagrados Corazones. (1973-1975); general secretary for the pastoral care of the diocese, episcopal delegate for vocations and seminaries and for the apostolate of the laity, and vicar for the pastoral ministry (1975-1996); vicar general of the diocese (1976-1994); rector of the diocesan seminary (1977-1996); president of the Cathedral Chapter (1994-1996); director of the Centro Asociado del Instituto Internacional de Teologia a Distancia and director of the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Religiosas San Agustin (1996).

On December 27th, 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed him as bishop of Orense. He received episcopal ordination on February 22nd, 1997.

On January 7th, 2002 he was promoted to the metropolitan see of Oviedo. From September 2006 to September 2007 he was also apostolic administrator of the diocese of Santander.

On January 8th, 2009, he was transferred by Pope Benedict  XVI to the metropolitan see of Valencia. On August 28th, 2014 Pope Francis appointed him as metropolitan archbishop of Madrid.

Since March 2014 he has served as vice-president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, within which he was previously president of the Commission for the Clergy (1999-2005) and president of the Episcopal Commission for the Apostolate and member of the Executive Committee  (2005-2011).

He took part in the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme: The vocation and the mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world (October 2015).

On 12 June 2023 the Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Madrid, Spain, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Osoro Sierra.

On 1 March 2024 the Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the Office of Ordinary for the Eastern-Rite faithful in Spain.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 19 November 2016, titular church of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Member of:

• Dicastery for the Oriental Churches;
• Pontifical Commission for Latin America.