José Tolentino de Mendonça, full name José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça, was born on December 15, 1965, in Machico, on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He is a Roman Catholic cardinal, theologian, poet, and university professor. A writer of poetry and religious essays, he has published numerous works addressing spirituality, literature, and Christian theology. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1990, appointed an archbishop in 2018, and created a cardinal by Pope Francis on October 5, 2019. Since September 26, 2022, he has served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See.

Early Life and Education

José Tolentino de Mendonça was born on December 15, 1965, in Machico, Madeira, Portugal, as the youngest of five children. His father was a fisherman. When he was approximately one year old, his family moved to Lobito, Angola, where he spent much of his childhood before returning to Madeira at around nine years of age.

He studied theology at the Catholic University of Portugal in Lisbon, receiving his degree in 1989. In 1990, he continued his education at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, completing a licentiate in Biblical Sciences in 1992.

In 2004, he obtained a doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Catholic University of Portugal. His doctoral research examined a passage from the Gospel of Luke concerning the encounter between Jesus and a woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee. His dissertation was supervised by Jesuit biblical scholar Jean-Noël Aletti.

Priesthood and Academic Career

José Tolentino de Mendonça was ordained a Catholic priest on July 28, 1990, for the Diocese of Funchal, Madeira.

From 1992 to 1995, he taught at the Funchal diocesan seminary and served at the parish of Nossa Senhora do Livramento. Between 1995 and 2000, he worked as a chaplain at the Catholic University of Portugal.

He subsequently served as rector of the Pontifical Portuguese College in Rome from 2001 to 2002. Returning to Portugal, he continued teaching theology and biblical studies at the Catholic University of Portugal.

In 2010, he became rector of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Bonança in Lisbon, commonly known as Capela do Rato. He held this position until 2018.

Between 2012 and 2018, he served as vice-rector of the Catholic University of Portugal. His academic work focused on the New Testament, biblical interpretation, and the relationship between theology and literature.

Literary Career

José Tolentino de Mendonça published his first poetry collection, Os Dias Contados, in 1990, the same year he was ordained a priest.

He subsequently published poetry collections, essays, and theological studies. His writing frequently examines religious experience, human relationships, memory, and the relationship between literature and spirituality.

His published works include A Construção de Jesus (2004), A Noite Abre Meus Olhos (2006), O Hipopótamo de Deus (2010), Nenhum Caminho Será Longo (2012), and Elogio da Sede (2018).

In addition to his books, he has written articles for the Portuguese newspaper Expresso and participated in literary and cultural conferences. In 2023, he received the Prémio Pessoa, a Portuguese award recognizing contributions to culture and science.

Appointment as Archbishop and Vatican Librarian

In February 2018, Pope Francis invited José Tolentino de Mendonça to lead the annual spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia in Ariccia, Italy. The retreat was based on the theme "In Praise of Thirst."

On June 26, 2018, Pope Francis appointed him Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church and Titular Archbishop of Suava.

He received episcopal ordination on July 28, 2018, in Lisbon, with Cardinal Manuel Clemente presiding over the ceremony. He adopted the episcopal motto *Considerate lilia agri*, meaning "Consider the lilies of the field."

On September 1, 2018, he formally assumed responsibility for the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Apostolic Archives. He remained in these positions until September 2022.

Appointment as Cardinal

On October 5, 2019, José Tolentino de Mendonça was created a cardinal by Pope Francis during a consistory at the Vatican. He was assigned the titular deaconry of Santi Domenico e Sisto in Rome.

On August 4, 2021, he made a profession as a member of the Lay Dominican tradition at a ceremony held at the Convent of São Domingos in Lisbon. This commitment concerned Dominican spirituality and did not involve entering the Dominican Order as a religious friar.

Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education

On September 26, 2022, Pope Francis appointed José Tolentino de Mendonça Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, a department of the Roman Curia responsible for matters involving culture, Catholic educational institutions, and the Church's dialogue with artistic and academic communities.

He succeeded Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi in the educational responsibilities previously handled by the Congregation for Catholic Education, while also assuming oversight of cultural activities reorganized under the new dicastery.

He continued serving in this role following the election of Pope Leo XIV in May 2025.

Selected Books

1990 - Os Dias Contados (Poetry)
2004 - A Construção de Jesus (Theology)
2006 - A Noite Abre Meus Olhos (Poetry)
2010 - O Hipopótamo de Deus (Essays)
2012 - Nenhum Caminho Será Longo (Essays)
2017 - O Pequeno Caminho das Grandes Perguntas (Essays)
2018 - Elogio da Sede (Spirituality)
2022 - Metamorfose Necessária (Essays)

Source: Biyografiler.com