Elímar Carvajal

Elímar Gerardo Carvajal Durán (born 6 May 1976) is a Costa Rican Roman Catholic prelate who has served as bishop of the Diocese of Puntarenas since 2026. Appointed by Pope Leo XIV on 20 June 2026, he became the youngest serving Catholic bishop in Costa Rica at the time of his appointment.

Early life and education Carvajal Durán was born on 6 May 1976 in Grecia, in the Diocese of Alajuela. He studied philosophy and theology at the National Seminary Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Costa Rica. He later earned a Licentiate in Marriage and Family Sciences from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Valencia, Spain, and obtained a diploma in Participatory Pastoral Planning from CEBITEPAL of CELAM.

His pastoral assignments have included: Vice-parish priest of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Grecia (2003–2005); Vice-parish priest of San Guzmán, Orotina (2006–2007); Parish priest of Sagrada Familia, Invu Las Cañas (2008–2011); Parish priest of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Grecia (2011–2019); Forane vicar of the Vicaría Monseñor Monestel; Vice-parish priest of the Vicaría Monseñor Monestel; and Diocesan Vicar for Pastoral Ministry from 2022 until his episcopal appointment.

He received episcopal consecration on 6 August 2026. The principal consecrator was Bishop Óscar Gerardo Fernández Guillén.