Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Archbishop of Toledo (Spain) and Primate of Spain, was born on October 15, 1945 in Utiel, Spain. He was ordained a priest on June 21, 1970 and holds a doctorate in theology.

He began his pastoral ministry as parish coadjutor, chaplain and as parish priest. He was secretary of the episcopal commission for the Doctrine of the Faith and founder and first president of the Spanish Association of Catechists.

On March 6, 1992 he was appointed Bishop of Avila, and received episcopal ordination on April 25. Within the Bishops’ Conference of Spain he was a member of various bodies and was president of the Episcopal Commission of Seminaries and the Episcopal Commission of Education.

Since 1995 he has been a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and contributed to the compilation of the Spanish-language edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He also founded the St. Teresa of Jesus Catholic University in Avila (1994-1997).

As Bishop he promoted the diocesan synod of 1995. On December 10, 1996 he was appointed Archbishop of Granada.

On October 24, 2002 he was appointed Archbishop of Toledo.

Created and proclaimed cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory for March 24 2006, of the Title of San Pancrazio (St. Pancras).

On December 9, 2008, he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, a position he held until February 28, 2013 upon the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI.

Member of:

• Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith;
• Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.