Portalegre-Castelo Branco (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Antonino Eugénio Fernandes Dias, Bishop
Augusto César Alves Ferreira da Silva, C.M., Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 18 July 1956
Metropolitan: Patriarchate of Lisboa {Lisbon}
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Portugal
Square Kilometers: 9,149 (3,533 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.portalegre-castelobranco.pt/
Mailing Address: Bispado, Largo do Paco s/n, 7300-095 Portalegre; Apartado 20, 7301-095 Portalegre, Portugal
Telephone: 245.30.94.80

Historical Details

Diocese of Portalegre
- Latin Name: Portalegrensis
- Erected: 2 April 1550
- Metropolitan: Patriarchate of Lisboa {Lisbon}
- Country: Portugal

Past and Present Ordinaries

Julião de Alva † (21 Aug 1549 Confirmed - 5 Apr 1560 Appointed, Bishop of Miranda (do Douro))
Andrés de Noronha † (5 Apr 1560 Appointed - 11 Sep 1581 Appointed, Bishop of Plasencia)
Amador Arrais de Mendoza, O. Carm. † (30 Oct 1581 Appointed - 1598 Resigned)
Diego Corrêa de Souza † (16 Feb 1598 Appointed - 19 Oct 1614 Died)
Rodrigo da Cunha † (6 Jul 1615 Confirmed - 12 Nov 1618 Appointed, Bishop of Porto)
Lopo de Sequeira Pereira † (22 Apr 1619 Confirmed - 7 Jun 1632 Appointed, Bishop of Guarda)
João Mendes de Távora † (5 Jul 1632 Confirmed - 22 Mar 1638 Appointed, Bishop of Coimbra)
Richard Russell † (1 Jul 1671 Appointed - 10 Sep 1685 Appointed, Bishop of Viseu)
João de Mascarenhas † (1 Apr 1686 Appointed - 24 Mar 1692 Appointed, Bishop of Guarda)
António de Saldanha † (24 Aug 1693 Appointed - 22 Mar 1706 Appointed, Bishop of Guarda)
Domingos Barata, O.SS.T. † (1 Aug 1707 Appointed - 25 Apr 1709 Died)
Álvaro Pires de Castro e Noronha † (26 Jan 1711 Appointed - 29 Mar 1737 Died)
Manuel Lopes Simões † (19 Dec 1740 Confirmed - 15 May 1748 Died)
João de Azevedo † (15 Jul 1748 Confirmed - 11 Nov 1765 Died)
Jerónimo Rogado do Carvalhal e Silva † (6 Aug 1770 Confirmed - 8 Mar 1773 Confirmed, Bishop of Guarda)
Pedro de Melo e Brito da Silveira Alvim † (12 Jul 1773 Confirmed - 22 Nov 1777 Died)
Manuel Tavares Coutinho da Silva † (20 Jul 1778 Confirmed - 7 Apr 1798 Died)
José Valério da Cruz, C.O. † (13 Nov 1798 Confirmed - 17 Jul 1826 Died)
José Francisco da Soledade Bravo † (24 Feb 1832 Confirmed - 10 Nov 1833 Died)
José Maria da Silva Ferrão de Carvalho Mártens † (9 Aug 1883 Confirmed - 20 Nov 1884 Died)
Manuel Bernardo da Souza Ennes † (30 Jul 1885 Confirmed - 8 Sep 1887 Died)
Gaudêncio José Pereira † (1 Jun 1888 Confirmed - 2 Nov 1908 Died)
António Moutinho † (29 Apr 1909 Appointed - 18 May 1915 Died)
Manuel Mendes da Conceição Santos † (9 Dec 1915 Appointed - 4 Jun 1920 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Évora)
Manuel Domingos Maria Rosa Fructuoso, O.P. † (7 Dec 1920 Appointed - 6 Jul 1949 Died)
António Ferreira Gomes † (6 Jul 1949 Succeeded - 13 Jul 1952 Appointed, Bishop of Porto)
Agostinho Joaquim Lopes de Moura, C.S.Sp. † (27 Dec 1952 Appointed - 25 Sep 1978 Resigned)
Augusto César Alves Ferreira da Silva, C.M. (25 Sep 1978 Appointed - 22 Apr 2004 Resigned)
José Francisco Sanches Alves (22 Apr 2004 Appointed - 8 Jan 2008 Appointed, Archbishop of Évora)
Antonino Eugénio Fernandes Dias (8 Sep 2008 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Portalegre
2 April 1550	Erected	Archdiocese of Évora Diocese of Guarda	Diocese of Portalegre (erected)
30 September 1881	Territory Added	Diocese of Castelo Branco (suppressed)	Diocese of Portalegre
Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco
18 July 1956	Name Changed	Diocese of Portalegre	Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco
11 October 1965	Territory Lost	Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco (Maria Gomes, Travessa, and Porto de Lage)	Diocese of Coimbra

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

Diocese of Portalegre

1949 319,080 348,184 91.6% 159 159 2,006 144 154 ap1951

Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco

1969 350,524 354,275 98.9% 178 19 197 1,779 36 197 106 ap1971

1980 289,900 292,200 99.2% 140 17 157 1,846 23 177 161 ap1981

1990 299,500 302,000 99.2% 122 17 139 2,154 24 206 158 ap1991

1999 258,762 260,380 99.4% 98 13 111 2,331 7 13 201 162 ap2000

2000 256,840 258,458 99.4% 99 10 109 2,356 7 10 192 161 ap2001

2001 254,909 256,527 99.4% 103 14 117 2,178 6 17 167 162 ap2002

2002 253,165 254,783 99.4% 103 14 117 2,163 12 16 180 162 ap2003

2003 251,324 252,942 99.4% 99 15 114 2,204 12 15 194 162 ap2004

2004 248,923 250,541 99.4% 89 15 104 2,393 12 15 179 162 ap2005

2013 228,186 231,804 98.4% 71 13 84 2,716 13 13 127 161 ap2014

2016 202,806 220,046 92.2% 64 13 77 2,633 13 13 87 161 ap2017

2019 197,799 209,039 94.6% 56 12 68 2,908 13 12 70 161 ap2020

2021 194,800 203,142 95.9% 55 14 69 2,823 13 14 72 161 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Portalegre
1949	319,080	348,184	91.6%	159		159	2,006			144	154	ap1951
Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco
1969	350,524	354,275	98.9%	178	19	197	1,779		36	197	106	ap1971
1980	289,900	292,200	99.2%	140	17	157	1,846		23	177	161	ap1981
1990	299,500	302,000	99.2%	122	17	139	2,154		24	206	158	ap1991
1999	258,762	260,380	99.4%	98	13	111	2,331	7	13	201	162	ap2000
2000	256,840	258,458	99.4%	99	10	109	2,356	7	10	192	161	ap2001
2001	254,909	256,527	99.4%	103	14	117	2,178	6	17	167	162	ap2002
2002	253,165	254,783	99.4%	103	14	117	2,163	12	16	180	162	ap2003
2003	251,324	252,942	99.4%	99	15	114	2,204	12	15	194	162	ap2004
2004	248,923	250,541	99.4%	89	15	104	2,393	12	15	179	162	ap2005
2013	228,186	231,804	98.4%	71	13	84	2,716	13	13	127	161	ap2014
2016	202,806	220,046	92.2%	64	13	77	2,633	13	13	87	161	ap2017
2019	197,799	209,039	94.6%	56	12	68	2,908	13	12	70	161	ap2020
2021	194,800	203,142	95.9%	55	14	69	2,823	13	14	72	161	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Julião de Alva † (Bishop: 21 Aug 1549 to 5 Apr 1560)
Amador Arrais de Mendoza, O. Carm. † (Bishop: 30 Oct 1581 to 1598)
João de Azevedo † (Bishop: 15 Jul 1748 to 11 Nov 1765)
Domingos Barata, O.SS.T. † (Bishop: 1 Aug 1707 to 25 Apr 1709)
Diego Corrêa de Souza † (Bishop: 16 Feb 1598 to 19 Oct 1614)
Rodrigo da Cunha † (Bishop: 6 Jul 1615 to 12 Nov 1618)
José Maria da Silva Ferrão de Carvalho Mártens † (Bishop: 9 Aug 1883 to 20 Nov 1884)
Manuel Bernardo da Souza Ennes † (Bishop: 30 Jul 1885 to 8 Sep 1887)
Estevão dos Santos Carneiro de Moraes, C.R.S.J.E. †
António Ferreira Gomes † (Coadjutor Bishop: 15 Jan 1948; Bishop: 6 Jul 1949 to 13 Jul 1952)
Guilherme Henriques de Carvalho † (Apostolic Administrator: 1846 to 15 Nov 1857)
Agostinho Joaquim Lopes de Moura, C.S.Sp. † (Bishop: 27 Dec 1952 to 25 Sep 1978)
Manuel Lopes Simões † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1740 to 15 May 1748)
João de Mascarenhas † (Bishop: 1 Apr 1686 to 24 Mar 1692)
Pedro de Melo e Brito da Silveira Alvim † (Bishop: 12 Jul 1773 to 22 Nov 1777)
Manuel Mendes da Conceição Santos † (Bishop: 9 Dec 1915 to 4 Jun 1920)
João Mendes de Távora † (Bishop: 5 Jul 1632 to 22 Mar 1638)
António Moutinho † (Bishop: 29 Apr 1909 to 18 May 1915)
Félix Niza Ribeiro †
Andrés de Noronha † (Bishop: 5 Apr 1560 to 11 Sep 1581)
Manuel Nunes Gabriel †
Matheus de Oliveira Xavier †
Gaudêncio José Pereira † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 1 Jun 1888 to 2 Nov 1908)
Sebastião José Pereira † (Priest: 30 Jun 1880 to 16 Nov 1897)
Álvaro Pires de Castro e Noronha † (Bishop: 26 Jan 1711 to 29 Mar 1737)
Jerónimo Rogado do Carvalhal e Silva † (Bishop: 6 Aug 1770 to 8 Mar 1773)
Manuel Domingos Maria Rosa Fructuoso, O.P. † (Bishop: 7 Dec 1920 to 6 Jul 1949)
Richard Russell † (Bishop: 1 Jul 1671 to 10 Sep 1685)
António de Saldanha † (Bishop: 24 Aug 1693 to 22 Mar 1706)
Lopo de Sequeira Pereira † (Bishop: 22 Apr 1619 to 7 Jun 1632)
José Francisco da Soledade Bravo † (Bishop: 24 Feb 1832 to 10 Nov 1833)
Manuel Tavares Coutinho da Silva † (Bishop: 20 Jul 1778 to 7 Apr 1798)
José Valério da Cruz, C.O. † (Bishop: 13 Nov 1798 to 17 Jul 1826)

Source(s)

Diocese of Portalegre
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 285
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 108
Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 49, Page 35, and Page 36

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Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco

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