Roman Catholic Cardinal. Born in the archipelago of the Azores, Portugal, José da Costa Nunes was baptized four days after his birth in the parish church of Candelária. Undergoing studies in the Diocesan Seminary of Angra, he went to Macau, China, as a missionary on June 4, 1903, where he was ordained priest on July 26 of that same year. Faculty member of the Seminary of Macau between 1903 and 1906, when he was named vicar general of the diocese of Macau and Timor, a position he held until 1913. Founder of the "Jornal Oriente," he worked as a missionary in Timor between 1913 and 1920, being named vicar capitular of Macau on February 21, 1917. Elected bishop of the diocese of Macau on December 16, 1920, he received his episcopal consecration on November 20 of the following year inside the parish church of Horta. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Goa and Daman, India, with the title of patriarch of the Oriental Indies, on his appointment as president of the Permanent Committee of International Eucharistic Congresses he was transferred to the titular see of Odessa with the title of patriarch 'ad personam' on December 16, 1953. Named vice-camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church on December 16, 1953, Pope John XXIII created him cardinal priest in the consistory of March 19, 1962 with the title of Santa Prisca. Resigning his post of vice-chamberlain of the Apostolic Chamber following his elevation to the Sacred College of Cardinals, the Cardinal died in Rome at the venerable age of 96 on November 29, 1976, at 15.12 pm., in the Clinic Madonna di Fatima of via Bonincontri 9, assisted by his personal physician of twenty years, Professor Pasquale Tallarico. His body was laid out in state in the chapel of the named clinic while funeral mass was celebrated at St. Peter's Patriarchal Vatican Basilica on December 2 at 16.00 pm. In his will, the Cardinal stated that should he die in Portugal, he was to be buried next to his parents, however should he die in Rome, he was to be interred within the eternal city. His remains where therefore buried temporarily in the Campo Verano Cemetery, but where later transferred to the crypt of the church of Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi of Rome. On June 27, 1997, they were solemnly transferred to the parish church of Candelária in Azores, where he was baptized.