Amargosa (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Juraci Gomes de Oliveira, Bishop
João Nílton dos Santos Souza, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 10 May 1941
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Bahia
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 13,972 (5,396 Square Miles)
Description: Amargosa, Aratuípe, Cairú, Castro Alves, Conceição do Almeida, Dom Macedo Costa, Elísio Medrado, Iaçu, Itatim, Jaguaripe, Jequiriçá, Laje, Milagres, Muniz Ferreira, Mutuípe, Nazaré, Nilo Peçanha, President Tancredo Neves, Rafael Jambeiro, Santa Terezinha, Santo Antônio de Jesus, São Felipe, São Miguel das Matas, Taperoá, Ubaíra, Valença and Varzedo.
Conference Region: Nordeste 3
Official Web Site: https://diocesedeamargosa.com.br
Mailing Address: Curia Diocesana, Avenida Lomanto Junior 11, 45300-000 Amargosa, BA, Brazil
Telephone: (075) 3634-1176

Past and Present Ordinaries

Floréncio Cicinho (Sisinio) Vieira † (11 Apr 1942 Appointed - 11 Jan 1969 Resigned)
Alair Vilar Fernandes de Melo † (17 Mar 1970 Appointed - 6 Apr 1988 Appointed, Archbishop of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte)
João Nílton dos Santos Souza (31 Aug 1988 Appointed - 10 Jun 2015 Resigned)
Valdemir Ferreira dos Santos (4 May 2016 Appointed - 18 Aug 2021 Appointed, Bishop of Penedo, Alagoas)
Juraci Gomes de Oliveira (31 May 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
10 May 1941	Erected	Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia (Amargosa, Afonso Penna, Aratuhype, Areia, Brejoês, Castro Alves, Itaquara, Itirussu, Jaguaquara, Jaguaripe, Jequiricù, Lage, Maracas, Mutuhype, Santo Antônio de Jesus, Santa Inês, São Miguel, Santa Terezinha, Boa, Nova, Conquista, Encruzilhada, Itambé...)	Diocese of Amargosa (erected)
27 July 1957	Territory Lost	Diocese of Amargosa (Vitoria da Conquista, Boa Nova, Encruzilhada, Ibicui, Iguaí, Itambé, Itapetinga, Macarani, and Poçoes)	Diocese of Vitória da Conquista (erected)
14 November 1959	Territory Lost	Diocese of Amargosa (Parts of Andaraí) Diocese of Barra (do Rio Grande) (Seabra) Diocese of Bonfim (Ireoê, Miguel Calmon, Morro do Chapéu, and Utinga) Diocese of Caetité (Lencóis, Palmeiras, and parts of Andaraí) Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia (Baixa Grande, Ipirá, Ibiquera, Itaberaba, Macajuba, Mairi, Mundo Novo, Piritiba, and Rui Barbosa)	Diocese of Ruy Barbosa (Rui Barbosa) (erected)
7 November 1978	Territory Lost	Diocese of Amargosa (Jequié, Brejöes, Nova Itarana, Santa Ines, Irajuba, Cravolândia, Jaguaquara, Itiruçu, Itaquara, Maracas, Marcionílio Souza, Planaltino , Lafaiete, Continuo, Jitaúna, Itagí, and Aiquara) Diocese of Vitória da Conquista (Manoel Vitorino, Boa Nova, Itagira, and Dario Meira)	Diocese of Jequié (erected)
7 November 1978	Territory Added	Diocese of Ilhéus (Cairú, Nilo Paçanha, Taperoá, and Valença) Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia (Dom Mecedo Costa, Muntz Ferreira, Nazaré, and Sao Felipe)	Diocese of Amargosa

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 700,000 720,000 97.2% 20 5 25 28,000 4 25 30 ap1951

1959 440,000 450,000 97.8% 20 6 26 16,923 6 31 22 ap1960

1964 467,000 487,588 95.8% 18 8 26 17,961 8 60 23 ap1967

1970 480,000 500,000 96.0% 18 7 25 19,200 7 35 22 ap1971

1976 488,000 535,000 91.2% 18 6 24 20,333 6 43 24 ap1977

1980 400,000 410,213 97.5% 13 12 25 16,000 12 26 25 ap1981

1990 503,000 526,000 95.6% 17 9 26 19,346 9 30 23 ap1991

1999 584,000 608,000 96.1% 21 5 26 22,461 6 43 24 ap2000

2000 592,000 616,000 96.1% 23 5 28 21,142 6 43 24 ap2001

2001 530,000 552,042 96.0% 23 6 29 18,275 7 31 24 ap2002

2002 537,000 560,000 95.9% 23 5 28 19,178 7 28 24 ap2003

2003 537,000 552,042 97.3% 26 6 32 16,781 8 27 24 ap2004

2004 537,000 552,042 97.3% 24 6 30 17,900 8 27 24 ap2005

2006 551,000 567,000 97.2% 24 5 29 19,000 6 27 24 ap2007

2012 608,000 629,000 96.7% 25 6 31 19,612 7 38 26 ap2013

2015 622,700 644,000 96.7% 27 6 33 18,869 7 28 26 ap2016

2018 638,355 660,220 96.7% 32 7 39 16,368 8 35 35 ap2019

2020 618,800 640,380 96.6% 36 6 42 14,733 6 31 38 ap2021

2022 614,000 635,150 96.7% 36 6 42 14,619 1 7 28 38 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	700,000	720,000	97.2%	20	5	25	28,000		4	25	30	ap1951
1959	440,000	450,000	97.8%	20	6	26	16,923		6	31	22	ap1960
1964	467,000	487,588	95.8%	18	8	26	17,961		8	60	23	ap1967
1970	480,000	500,000	96.0%	18	7	25	19,200		7	35	22	ap1971
1976	488,000	535,000	91.2%	18	6	24	20,333		6	43	24	ap1977
1980	400,000	410,213	97.5%	13	12	25	16,000		12	26	25	ap1981
1990	503,000	526,000	95.6%	17	9	26	19,346		9	30	23	ap1991
1999	584,000	608,000	96.1%	21	5	26	22,461		6	43	24	ap2000
2000	592,000	616,000	96.1%	23	5	28	21,142		6	43	24	ap2001
2001	530,000	552,042	96.0%	23	6	29	18,275		7	31	24	ap2002
2002	537,000	560,000	95.9%	23	5	28	19,178		7	28	24	ap2003
2003	537,000	552,042	97.3%	26	6	32	16,781		8	27	24	ap2004
2004	537,000	552,042	97.3%	24	6	30	17,900		8	27	24	ap2005
2006	551,000	567,000	97.2%	24	5	29	19,000		6	27	24	ap2007
2012	608,000	629,000	96.7%	25	6	31	19,612		7	38	26	ap2013
2015	622,700	644,000	96.7%	27	6	33	18,869		7	28	26	ap2016
2018	638,355	660,220	96.7%	32	7	39	16,368		8	35	35	ap2019
2020	618,800	640,380	96.6%	36	6	42	14,733		6	31	38	ap2021
2022	614,000	635,150	96.7%	36	6	42	14,619	1	7	28	38	ap2023