Leonardo Ulrich Steiner

Leonardo Ulrich Steiner (born 6 November 1950) is a Brazilian Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Manaus since 2020. A member of the Order of Friars Minor since 1976 and a bishop since 2005, he was an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Brasília from 2011 to 2019.

On 27 August 2022, Pope Francis made Steiner a cardinal, the first from the Amazon region.

Biography Leonardo Ulrich Steiner was born on 6 November 1950 in Forquilhinha, Santa Catarina, Brazil. He took his vows as a member of the Order of Friars Minor on 2 August 1976 and was ordained a priest on 21 January 1978

He studied philosophy and theology at the Franciscans of Petrópolis. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy and pedagogy at the Salesian Faculty of Lorraine. At the Pontifical Athenaeum Antonianum in Rome he obtained a licentiate and a doctorate in philosophy. After a period as assistant pastor and parish priest, he was seminary formator until 1986 and novice master from 1986 to 1995. He received his episcopal consecration on 16 April from Cardinal Arns.

From May 2011 to May 2019 he was Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Brazil.

In the face of the Bolsonaro government's Covid denialism, Steiner avoided verbal confrontation and preferred to let the Church's actions serve as a response. He said: "Such ideological issues are very complex. But the church can't cease to manifest its positions. At the same time, we show through our work what we think that real solidarity is.... [Deniers] have lost sensibility to their neighbor. But the work that Catholics have been doing in Manaus, taking solace and hope to the homeless, immigrants and the poor, is fantastic. That's why our voice will keep being heard."

On 27 November 2019, Pope Francis appointed him archbishop of Manaus. He was installed there on 31 January 2020.

In April 2022 Steiner was named president of the Special Episcopal Commission for the Amazon. He is also the vice president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon Region (CEAMA).

On 27 August 2022, Pope Francis made him a cardinal priest, assigning him the title of San Leonardo da Porto Maurizio ad Acilia.

Steiner participated as a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave. Prior to the conclave, he was considered by a few sources to be papabile —a candidate for the papacy. The conclave ultimately elected Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV.

Personal life Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, Archbishop of São Paulo, was Steiner's cousin.