Bishop Nuno Manuel dos Santos Almeida

Nuno Manuel dos Santos Almeida was born on August 1, 1962, in Pedrosinhas, in the Diocese of Viseu. After attending the Major Seminary of Viseu, he obtained a Licentiate in Theology from the Portuguese Catholic University in Porto and a Doctorate from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on October 19, 1986, and incardinated into the Diocese of Viseu. He served as parish priest in several parishes, as President of the Priestly Fraternity of Viseu, and as a member of the College of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council. On November 21, 2015, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Ruspe and Auxiliary Bishop of Braga, receiving episcopal ordination on January 31, 2016. Within the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, he is a member of the Commission for Vocations and Ministries and the Commission for the Laity and Family. Nuno Manuel dos Santos Almeida, the son of Manuel dos Santos Almeida and Maria Adelaide dos Santos Amaral, was born on August 1, 1962, in Sátão, in the Diocese of Viseu. After completing his primary education (4th grade), he entered the Saint Joseph Minor Seminary in Fornos de Algodres. He completed his theology studies at the Major Seminary of Viseu during the 1983–1984 academic year. Following a pastoral internship at the parish of Canas de Santa Maria (Tondela), he was ordained a priest on October 19, 1986, in Sátão. From 1986 to 1989, he served as parish priest in Arões, in the municipality of Vale de Cambra. During the 1989–1990 academic year, he attended a course on theological and spiritual renewal offered by the *Mysticis Corporis* International Institute of Culture (part of the Focolare Movement) in Loppiano, Florence. From 1990 to 1994, he served as secretary to the Bishop of Viseu, Dom António Monteiro, while also working in other diocesan roles: head of the Pastoral Coordination Secretariat (1991–1993), the Diocesan Missions Secretariat (1993–1999), and the Diocesan Secretariat for Christian Education (2000–2006). In 1996, he completed his degree in Theology at the Catholic University of Portugal (UCP) in Porto with a thesis on "Dialogue with non-believers." From 1994 to 2004, he served as parish priest for Sezures, Esmolfe, and Trancoselos, in the municipality of Penalva do Castelo. From 2004 to 2006, he was Chief of Staff to the Bishop of Viseu, D. António Marto. In 2006, he completed a master's degree in "Faith and Psychotherapy" at UCP Porto, with a thesis titled "The Healing Dimension of Reconciliation." From 2006 to 2012, he served as *parochus in solidum* (joint parish priest) for São Salvador and the Vicariate of Nossa Senhora do Viso in the city of Viseu, also serving as Archpriest and Episcopal Vicar for the Viseu pastoral zone. In 2011, he completed the second canonical stage of the doctoral program in Theology at UCP Porto with the thesis "Logos and Salvation: A Theological Reading of Viktor Frankl's Thought." From 2008 to 2012, he was a professor at the Higher Institute of Theology in Viseu. From October 2013 to 2015, he served as *parochus in solidum* for the 11 parishes of the Fornos de Algodres archpriestship. In 2012–2013, he attended the Salesian University in Rome, where he obtained a doctorate in Dogmatic Theology in 2016 with the thesis "The Search for Meaning in Life and Christian Reconciliation: A Theological Reading of Viktor Frankl's Thought." In November 2015, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Braga, with the titular see of Ruspe, and received episcopal ordination on January 31, 2016, at the Viseu Cathedral. From 2016 to 2023, he was a member of the Episcopal Commission for the Laity and Family and the Commission for Vocations and Ministries. He served as President of the Episcopal Commission for the Laity and Family from April 2023 to April 2026. On May 19, 2023, Pope Francis appointed him the 45th Bishop of the Diocese of Bragança-Miranda. He took office on June 25, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., at the diocesan cathedral in Bragança. He finished studies in 2012 (noted as 20012 in original) and received episcopal consecration in 2016 (16).