Roman Catholicism in Portugal
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Church in Portugal
is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
and curia
in Rome
. The Roman Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian
organization.
There are an estimated nine million baptized Catholics in Portugal (84% of the population), in twenty diocese
s, served by 2789 priest
s. However, only 19% of the national population attend mass and take the sacraments regularly (although a larger number wish to be baptized, married in the church, and receive last rites).
In 2010, the average age of priests was 62.
Within Portugal, the hierarchy consists of archbishop
s and bishop
s. At the top of the hierarchy is the archbishop who is known as the Patriarch of Lisbon
. The remainder of the diocese
s of Portugal, each headed by a bishop, includes:
Portugal is also the location of one of the major Catholic shrines and Marian
pilgrim
age sites. In the city of Fátima
, in the municipality
of Ourém
, it honors Our Lady of Fátima
.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The Roman Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
organization.
There are an estimated nine million baptized Catholics in Portugal (84% of the population), in twenty diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s, served by 2789 priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s. However, only 19% of the national population attend mass and take the sacraments regularly (although a larger number wish to be baptized, married in the church, and receive last rites).
In 2010, the average age of priests was 62.
Within Portugal, the hierarchy consists of archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s. At the top of the hierarchy is the archbishop who is known as the Patriarch of Lisbon
Patriarch of Lisbon
The Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI...
. The remainder of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s of Portugal, each headed by a bishop, includes:
- LisbonPatriarch of LisbonThe Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI...
(with the dignity of PatriarchatePatriarchateA patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
)- AngraRoman Catholic Diocese of AngraThe Roman Catholic diocese of Angra is in the Azores, Portugal. The episcopal see of the Azores, created in 1534 by Pope Paul III, has a bishop who is a suffragan of the patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, of the archdiocese of Lisbon. It was vacant from 1637 to 1671...
- FunchalRoman Catholic Diocese of FunchalThe Diocese of Funchal was created originally on January 12, 1514, through the bull Pro excellenti præeminentia of Pope Leo X, following the elevation of Funchal from a village to the status of town , by King Manuel I of Portugal...
- Guarda
- Leiria-FátimaRoman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-FátimaThe Portuguese Catholic Diocese of Leiria–Fátima has existed under this name since 1984, the diocese of Leiria being renamed in that year. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon....
- Portalegre-Castelo BrancoRoman Catholic Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo BrancoThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Portalegre–Castelo Branco has carried this name since 1956, when the historical diocese of Portalegre was renamed. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon.-History:...
- SantarémRoman Catholic Diocese of Santarém, PortugalThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Santarém is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Portugal. Erected in 1975, the diocese is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon. Its see at Santarém is north-east of Lisbon....
- SetúbalRoman Catholic Diocese of SetúbalThe Portuguese Catholic Diocese of Setúbal has existed since 1975. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon. Its see at Setúbal is south of Lisbon. , the bishop is Gilberto Délio Gonçalves Canavarro dos Reis, who was appointed in 1998.-External links:...
- Angra
- BragaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of BragaThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Braga is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Portugal.Its suffragans are the diocese of Aveiro, diocese of Bragança-Miranda, diocese of Coimbra, diocese of Lamego, diocese of Porto, diocese of Viana do Castelo, diocese of Vila Real,...
- AveiroRoman Catholic Diocese of AveiroThe Portuguese Roman Catholic Diocese of Aveiro has existed since 1938. In that year it was formed as territories taken from the historical diocese of Coimbra, diocese of Porto and diocese of Viseu were combined. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga....
- Bragança-MirandaRoman Catholic Diocese of Bragança-MirandaThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Bragança–Miranda , in the north-east of Portugal, is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga.-History:The see was erected in 1545 by Pope Paul III in the town of Miranda do Douro bordering on Spain, its territory being taken from the Archdiocese of Braga...
- CoimbraRoman Catholic Diocese of CoimbraThe Diocese of Coimbra is a Roman Catholic diocese in Coimbra, Portugal. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Braga.-History:The first known bishop was Lucentius, who assisted at the first council of Braga, the metropolitan See of Coimbra, until the latter was attached to the ecclesiastical...
- LamegoRoman Catholic Diocese of Lamego-External links:*...
- Porto
- Viana do CasteloRoman Catholic Diocese of Viana do CasteloThe Portuguese Catholic Diocese of Viana do Castelo , in the Norte Region, has existed since 1977. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga, with its see at Viana do Castelo....
- Vila RealRoman Catholic Diocese of Vila RealThe Portuguese Catholic diocese of Vila Real has existed since 1022. In that year it was formed from territories in the diocese of Bragança-Miranda, archdiocese of Braga, and diocese of Lamego. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga, in the Norte region, with its see at Vila Real....
- ViseuRoman Catholic Diocese of ViseuThe Portuguese Catholic diocese of Viseu is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga. Its see at Viseu is in the Centro Region. The current bishop is Ilídio Pinto Leandro.-History:...
- Aveiro
- ÉvoraRoman Catholic Archdiocese of EvoraThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Evora has Évora Cathedral as its see. It has as suffragans the diocese of Beja and diocese of Faro.-History:...
- BejaRoman Catholic Diocese of Beja-History:Beja lays were once were Pax Julia, or Paca, of the Romans, and is still surrounded by remains of old Roman walls, partly restored. The diocese was created 10 June, 1770. Beja was taken from its Islamic rulers in 1162 by Affonso Henriques...
- FaroRoman Catholic Diocese of Faro-History:A see in the Algarve region was founded at Ossonoba in 306. After the Islamic conquest, this place fell, and in 688, the see was suppressed. It was re-established in 1188 at Siloes, and in 1218 was made suffragan to the archdiocese of Braga, then to the archdiocese of Seville, in 1393 to...
- Beja
Portugal is also the location of one of the major Catholic shrines and Marian
Marian
Marian may refer to:* Marian , people with the given name Marian* Maid Marian, companion of Robin Hood* Marian, an adjective for things relating to Gaius Marius...
pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
age sites. In the city of Fátima
Fatima
-People:* Fatima , a female given name of Arabic origin* Fatima bint Muhammad, daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad* Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah...
, in the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Ourém
Ourém
Ourém is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 416.6 km² and a total population of 49,269 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of about 12,000.The municipality is composed of 18 parishes, and is located in the district of Santarém...
, it honors Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
.
See also
- Religion in PortugalReligion in PortugalPortugal has no official religion. The most predominant religion in Portugal is Roman Catholicism. Approximately 84% of the population of Portugal is nominally Catholic, though only about 19% attend mass and take the sacraments regularly, while a larger number wish to be baptized, married in a...
- Portuguese InquisitionPortuguese InquisitionThe Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. Manuel I had asked for the installation of the Inquisition in 1515 to fulfill the commitment of marriage with Maria of Aragon, but it was only after his death that the Pope...
- Ecclesiastical history of BragaEcclesiastical history of BragaThe region around the city of Braga, in today Portugal, was an important centre for the spreading of Christendom in the Iberian Peninsula. This is reflected in the number of religious personalities associated with the region and the fact that many ecumenical councils were held in the...