Roman Catholic Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco

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The Diocese of Portalegre–Castelo Branco (Latin: Dioecesis Portalegrensis–Castri Albi) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic church in Portugal. It has carried this name since 1956, when the historical diocese of Portalegre was renamed. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Lisbon.[1]

Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco

Dioecesis Portalegrensis-Castri Albi

Diocese de Portalegre-Castelo Branco
Location
CountryPortugal
Ecclesiastical provinceLisbon
MetropolitanPatriarchate of Lisbon
Statistics
Area9,150 km2 (3,530 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2004)
250,541
248,923 (99.4%)
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established2 April 1550 (As Diocese of Portalegre)
18 July 1956 (As Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco)
CathedralCathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Portalegre
Co-cathedralCathedral of St Michael in Cathedral of Castelo Branco
Patron saintSt Augustine of Hippo
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopAntonino Eugénio Fernandes Dias
Metropolitan ArchbishopManuel III
Bishops emeritusAugusto César Alves Ferreira da Silva Bishop Emeritus (1978-2004)
Map
Website
Website of the Diocese

History

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Portalegre was established as a see by Pope Julius III, in 1550, taking territory from the archdiocese of Évora and diocese of Guarda. Its first bishop was Julian d'Alva, a Spaniard, who was transferred to the diocese of Miranda in 1557. On 17 July 1560, Andiz' de Noronha succeeded to the diocese, but he was promoted to the diocese of Placencia in 1581. Frei Amador Arraes, the next bishop, was a Carmelite and the author of a celebrated book of Dialogues;[2] he resigned in 1582, and retired to the college of his order in Coimbra, where he remained till his death. Lopo Soares de Albergaria and Frei Manoel de Gouveia died before receiving the Bulls confirming their nomination.

Diego Conra, nephew of the Venerable Bartholomew of the Martyrs and Bishop of Ceuta, became bishop in 1598, and died on 9 October 1614. Among the bishops of Portalegre during the seventeenth century was Ricardo Russell, an Englishman, who took possession of the see on 17 September 1671, and was subsequently transferred to the diocese of Vizeu.

In 1881 the territory of the Diocese of Castelo Branco and Diocese of Elvas was added, when these were suppressed. Antonio Mutinho was transferred from the diocese of Caboverde in 1909.

Ordinaries

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Diocese of Portalegre

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Erected: April 2, 1550

Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco

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Portalegre Cathedral

Name Changed: July 18, 1956

Notes

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  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainHerbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Portalegre". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.