Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria-Fátima
| Diocese of Leiria-Fátima Dioecesis Leiriensis-Fatimensis Diocese de Leiria-Fátima | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country |
 Portugal |
| Ecclesiastical province | Lisbon |
| Metropolitan | Patriarchate of Lisbon |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 1,700 km2 (660 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2013) 296,362 272,162 (91.8%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 17 January 1918 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Leiria |
| Patron saint |
Our Lady of Fátima St Augustine of Hippo |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | António Augusto dos Santos Marto |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Manuel III |
| Emeritus Bishops | Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva Bishop Emeritus (1993-2006) |
| Map | |
 Location of diocese of Leiria-Fátima | |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Portuguese Roman Catholic Diocese of Leiria–Fátima (Latin: Dioecesis Leiriensis–Fatimensis) is a Latin rite suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Patriarchate of Lisbon.[1]
Its cathedral of the episcopal see is Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception, in Leiria
It also has two minor basilicas, both in Fátima, Santarem: Basílica de la Santíssima Trindade, dedicated to the Holy Trinity and Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary
a World Heritage Site monastery: Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória, the commemorative royal abbey of Victory in Batalha
and a decommissioned former Cathedral (now ruined): Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena, now Church of Our Lady of Pena
History
- 1545.05.22: Established as Diocese of Leiria (Português) / Leirien(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the Diocese of Coimbra
- In 1585 it gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lisboa, again on 1614.10.09
- Suppressed on 1881.09.30, its territories being reassigned (back) to Patriarchal See of Lisboa and to Diocese of Coimbra
- Restored on 1918.01.17 as Diocese of Leiria (Portuguese) / Leirien(sis) (Latin), regaining territories from Patriarchal See of Lisboa and Diocese of Coimbra
- On 1957.03.25 it gained territory from Patriarchal See of Lisboa
- Enjoyed Papal visits from Pope Paul VI in May 1967 and Pope John Paul II in May 1982, May 1991 and May 2000
- Renamed on 1984.05.13 as Diocese of Leiria–Fátima (Português) / Leirien(sis)–Fatimen(sis) (Latin), however without a co-cathedral. [2]
- Enjoyed Papal visits from Pope Benedict XVI in May 2010 and Pope Francis in May 2017
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 266,792 Catholics (91.6% of 291,144 total) on 1,700 km² in 75 parishes and 6 missions with 156 priests (92 diocesan, 64 religious), 767 lay religious (77 brothers, 690 sisters) and 6 seminarians.
Ordinaries
(all Roman Rite)
- Suffragan Bishops of Leiria
- Brás de Barros, Canons Regular of Saint Augustine (C.R.S.A.) (1545 – 1556)
- Father Sancho de Noronha e Faro, [[]] (O.E.S.A.) (1556 – 1556)
- Gaspar do Casal, O.E.S.A. (1556.03.09 – 1579.11.27), previously Bishop of Funchal (Madeira, Portugal) (1551.07.03 – 1556.03.09); later Bishop of Coimbra (Portugal) (1579.11.27 – death 1584.08.09)
- António Pinheiro (1579.11.27 – death 1582.10), previously Bishop of Miranda (Portugal) (1564.06.21 – 1579.11.27)
- Pedro de Castilho (1583.06.03 – death 1604), previously Bishop of Angra (Portugal) (1578.07.04 – 1583.06.03)
- TO COMPLETE/ELABORATE
- Martim Afonso Mexia (1604 – 1619.12.02)
- Rui Pires da Veiga (1615 – 1615)
- António de Santa Maria (1616 – 1623)
- Francisco de Menezes (1625 – 1627.07.05)
- Dinis de Melo e Castro (1627 – 1636)
- Pedro Barbosa de Eça (1636 – 1640)
- Fr. Diogo de Sousa (1640 – 1640)
- Fr. Jerónimo de Mascarenhas (1648 – 1648)
- Pedro Vieira da Silva (1670 – 1676)
- Domingos de Gusmão, O.P. (1677 – 1678.06.06)
- José de Lencastre, O. Carm. (1681.06.02 – 1694)
- Álvaro de Abranches e Noronha (1694 – 1746.04.05)
-
- Coadjutor Bishop: João Cosme da Cunha, C.R.S.A. (later Cardinal) (1746.03.28 – 1746.04.08)
- ...
- José Alves Correia da Silva (1920–1957)
- João Pereira Venâncio, O.R.C. (1958.09.13 – 1972.07.01)
- Auxiliary Bishop: Domingos de Pinho Brandão (1966.12.06 – 1972.07.01)
- Alberto Cosme do Amaral (1972.07.01 – 1984.05.13 see below)
- Suffragan Bishops of Leiria-Fatima
- Alberto Cosme do Amaral (see above 1984.05.13 – 1993.02.02)
- Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva (1993.02.02 – 2006.04.22)
- António Augusto dos Santos Marto (2006.04.22 – ...)
See also
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Portugal
- Our Lady of Fátima
- Church of the Santíssima Trindade (Fátima)
Notes
Sources and external links
Roman Catholic dioceses in Portugal (Bold = Metropolitan see) | |
|---|---|
| Province of Braga | |
| Province of Lisbon | |
| Province of Evora | |
| Sui iuris Jurisdictions | |
| |
Coordinates: 39°44′46″N 8°48′25″W / 39.7461°N 8.8070°W