Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, O. Cist., Metropolitan Archbishop of São Sebastião, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil ) was born on 23 June 1950 in São José do Rio Pardo, in the diocese of São João da Boa Vista.

In 1967, after completing his high school studies in São José do Rio Pardo, he entered the Cistercian monastery of São Bernardo. He studied philosophy at the monastery of São Bento in São Paulo, and theology at the Pius IX Salesian Theological Institute in São Paulo.

He gave his religious vows in the Order of the Cistercians on 2 February 1969 and was ordained a priest on 7 December 1974.

In 1984 he became prior of his monastery, while also holding the offices of parish priest of São Roque, São José do Rio Pardo, coordinator of communications and diocesan pastoral works and seminary professor in Coração de Maria in São João da Boa Vista. In September 1996, when the monastery of São Bernardo was transformed into an abbey, he he was elected as its first abbot.

On 26 February 1997 he was appointed as bishop of São José do Rio Preto and received episcopal ordination on 25 April of that year. In the Sul 1 of the Regional National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, he served as head of pastoral communication.

On 13 October 2004, he was appointed as archbishop of Belém do Pará and in 2007 he participated as a director at the V Conferência Geral do Episcopado da América Latina e do Caribe.

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.

On 27 February 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Metropolitan Archbishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In this capacity he welcomed Pope Francis in Rio in July 2013 for the celebration of World Youth Day.

Appointed by Pope Francis, he participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 22 February 2014, of the Title of Santa Maria Madre della Provvidenza a Monte Verde (St. Mary Mother of Providence in Monte Verde).

Member of:

• Dicastery: for Culture and Education, for the Evangelization; for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments;
• Pontifical Commission for Latin America.