Roman Catholic Diocese of Porto, Portugal

The Portuguese Roman Catholic diocese of Porto (Latin: Dioecesis Portugallensis) (Oporto) is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga. Its see at Porto is in the Norte region, and the second largest city in Portugal.^[1]

History

The diocese was probably founded in the middle of the sixth century. At the third Council of Toledo (589) the Arian Argiovi was deposed in favour of bishop Constancio. In 610 Bishop Argeberto assisted at the Council of Toledo, summoned by King Gundemar to sanction the metropolitan claims of Toledo. Bishop Ansiulfo was present at the Sixth Council of Toledo (638) and Bishop Flavio at the Tenth (656).

Bishop Froarico attended the Third Council of Braga (675) and the Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fifteenth Councils of Toledo (681, 683, and 688), and his successor Felix appeared at the Sixteenth Council (693). No other bishop is recorded under the Visigothic monarchy. After the Arab invasion Justus seems to have been the first bishop. Gomado was probably elected in 872, when King Affonso III won back the city. The names of only four other prelates have been preserved: Froarengo (906), Hermogio (912), Ordonho, and Diogo. Oporto fell again into Moorish hands, and on its recovery, Hugo became bishop (1114-1134-6). He secured exemption from the Archbishop of Braga. He greatly enlarged his diocese and the cathedral patrimony increased by the donations he secured; thus, in 1120, he received from D. Theresa jurisdiction over the City of Oporto with all the rents and dues thereof. John Peculiar was promoted to Braga (1138), his nephew, Pedro Rabaldis, succeeding at Oporto. Next came D. Pedro Pitões (1145 to 1152 or 1155), D. Pedro Sénior (d. 1172), and D. Fernão Martins (d. 1185). Martinho Pires instituted a chapter, was promoted to Braga, 1189 or 1190. Martinho Rodrigues ruled from 1191 to 1235. He quarrelled with the chapter over their share of the rents of the see. Later on, fresh disagreements arose in which King Sancho intervened against the bishop, who was deprived of his goods and had to flee, but was restored by the king when Innocent III espoused the bishop's cause. Another quarrel soon arouse between prelate and king, and the bishop was imprisoned; but he escaped and fled to Rome, and in 1209 the king, feeling the approach of death, made peace with him. His successor, Pedro Salvadores, figured prominently in the questions between the clergy and King Sancho II, who refused to ecclesiastics the right of purchasing or inheriting land. Portugal fell into anarchy, in which the clergy's rights were violated and their persons outraged, though they themselves were not guiltless. Finally, Pope Innocent IV committed the reform of abuses to Afonso, brother of Sancho, who lost his crown.

Under Bishop Julian (1247–60) the jurisdiction difficulty became aggravated. A settlement was effected at the Cortes of Leiria (1254), which the bishop refused to ratify, but he had to give way. When King Afonso III determined (1265) that all rights and properties usurped during the disorders of Sancho's reign should revert to the Crown, nearly all the bishops, including the Bishop of Oporto, then D. Vicente, protested; and seven went to Rome for relief, leaving Portugal under an interdict. When the king was dying, in 1278, he promised restitution. Vicente (d. 1296) was one of the negotiators of the Concordat of 1289 and the supplementary Accord of Eleven Articles. He was succeeded by Sancho Pires, who ruled until 1300. Geraldo Domingues resigned in 1308 to act as counsellor of the King's daughter Constança, future Queen of Castile. Tredulo was bishop for two and a half years. The Minorite Frei Estêvão was succeeded in 1313 by his nephew Fernando Ramires. Both uncle and nephew quarrelled with King Denis and left the realm.

Owing to the hostility of the citizens, Bishop Gomes lived mostly outside his diocese. When Pedro Afonso became bishop in 1343, he had a quarrel over jurisdiction and, like his predecessor, departed, leaving the diocese under interdict. Six years later he returned, but again the monarch began to encroach, and it was not until 1354 that the bishop secured recognition of his rights. His successor was Afonso Pires. Egídio is probably the bishop represented in the old Chronicles as being threatened with scourging by King Pedro for having lived in sin with a citizen's wife The accusation was probably groundless, but Egídio left the city, which for twelve years had no bishop. In 1373 or 1375 John succeeded and supported the lawful popes in the Great Schism, and the Master of Aviz against Castilian claims.

Other bishops were: John de Zambuja, or Estêvão; and Gil, who in 1406 sold the episcopal rights over Oporto to the Crown for an annual money payment, reduced in the reign of D. Manuel to 120 silver marks; Fernando Guerra, who in 1425 was created Archbishop of Braga; Vasco. — Antão Martins de Chaves, who succeeded Vasco in 1430, was sent by the pope to Constantinople to induce the Greek emperor to attend the Council of Basle. He succeeded, and as a reward was made cardinal. He died in 1447. Succeeding incumbents were: Durando; Gonçalves de Óbidos; Luis Pires (1454–64), a negotiator of the Concordat of 1455 and a reforming prelate; João de Azevedo (1465–1494), a benefactor of the cathedral and chapter, as was his successor Diego de Sousa, afterwards Archbishop of Braga and executor of King Manuel. The see was then held by two brothers in succession, Diego da Costa (1505-7) and D. Pedro da Costa (1511–39), who restored the bishop's palace and enriched the capitular revenues from his own purse; Belchior Beliago; and the Carmelite Frei Baltazar Limpo (1538–52), the fiftieth bishop. He held a diocesan synod in 1540.

In the time of Rodrigo Pinheiro, a learned humanist, Oporto was visited by St. Francis Borgia and the Jesuits established themselves in the city. Aires da Silva, ex-rector of Coimbra University, after ruling four years, fell in the battle of Alcácer in 1578 with King Sebastião. Simão Pereira was followed by the Franciscan Frei Marcos de Lisboa, chronicler of his order. He added to the cathedral and convoked a diocesan synod in 1585. In 1591 another ex-rector of Coimbra, Jerónimo de Menezes, became bishop; he was succeeded by the Benedictine Frei Gonçalo de Morais, a zealous defender of the rights of the Church. He built a new sacristy and chancel in the cathedral. In 1618 Bishop Rodrigo da Cunha, author of the history of the Bishops of Oporto, was appointed. His "Catalogo" describes the state of the cathedral and enumerates the parishes of the diocese with their population and income in 1623 and is the earliest account we possess. His successor was Frei João de Valadares, transferred from the See of Miranda. Gaspar do Rego da Fonseca, who held the see four years (1635–39). King Philip III named Francisco Pereira Pinto, but the revolution in 1640 prevented his taking possession, so that the see was considered vacant until 1671, being ruled by administrators appointed by the chapter. In 1641 John IV chose D. Sebastião César de Menezes as bishop, but the pope, influenced by Spain, would neither recognize the new King of Portugal nor confirm his nominations. Next came Frei Pedro de Menezes; Nicolau Monteiro took possession in 1671, Fernando Correia de Lacerda, in 1673, who was succeeded by João de Sousa. Frei José Saldanha (1697–1708), famed for his austerity, never relinquished his Franciscan habit, a contrast to his successor Tomás de Almeida, who in 1716 became the first Patriarch of Lisbon. The see remained vacant until 1739, and, though Frei John Maria was then elected, he never obtained confirmation. In the same year Frei José Maria da Fonseca, formerly Commissary General of the Franciscans, became bishop. Several European States selected him as arbiter of their differences. He contributed to the canonization of a number of saints. He founded and restored many convents and hospitals.

Next in order were: Frei António de Távora (d. 1766), Frei Aleixo de Miranda Henriques, Frei João Rafael de Mendonça (1771-3), and Lourenço Correia de Sá Benevides (1796-8). Frei Antonio de Castro became Patriarch of Lisbon in 1814, being followed at Oporto by João Avelar. Frei Manuel de Santa Inês, though elected, never obtained confirmation, but some years after his death, relations between Portugal and the Holy See were re-established by a concordat and Jerónimo da Costa Rebelo became bishop in 1843. From 1854 to 1859 the see was held by António da Fonseca Moniz; on his death it remained vacant until 1862, when João de Castro e Moura, who had been a missionary in China, was appointed (d.1868). The see was again vacant until the confirmation of Américo Ferreira dos Santos Silva in 1871. This prelate was obliged to combat the growing Liberalism of his flock and the Protestant propaganda in Oporto A popular lawyer named Mesquita started a campaign against him, because the bishop refused to dismiss some priests, reputed reactionary, who served the Aguardente Chapel; getting himself elected judge of the Brotherhood of the Temple, he provoked a great platform agitation with the result that the chapel was secularized and became a school under the patronage of the Marquis of Pombal Association. In 1879 Américo was created cardinal and on his death the present (1911) Bishop, António Barroso, an ex-missionary, was transferred from the see of Mylapore to that of Porto.^[2]

Bishops

Here is a list of the bishops of Porto since the establishment of the diocese in the 4th century. Bishops elevated to the rank of cardinal are shown bolded.

#	Name	Date of Birth	Appointed	Retired	Date of Death
Vacant see (1091–1113)
13	Hugo		23 March 1113	7 December 1136	7 December 1136
14	João I Peculiar		1137	1138	3 December 1175
15	Pedro I Rabaldes		1138	1145
16	Pedro II Pitões		1146	1152
17	Pedro III Sénior		1154	1174
18	Fernando I Martins		1176	1185
19	Martinho I Pires		1186	1189
20	Martinho II Rodrigues		1191	1235
21	Pedro IV Salvadores		1235	24 June 1247	24 June 1247
22	Julião Fernandes		1247	31 October 1260	31 October 1260
23	Vicente Mendes		1261	23 April 1296	23 April 1296
24	Sancho Pires		3 June 1296	7 January 1300	7 January 1300
25	Geraldo Domingues		19 March 1300	4 December 1307	5 March 1321
26	Frádulo		1308	1309
27	Frei Estêvão		11 February 1310	1313
28	Fernando II Ramires		19 March 1314	1322
29	João II Gomes		25 March 1323	5 December 1327	5 December 1327
30	Vasco I Martins		November, 1328	26 August 1342
31	Pedro V Afonso		1343	1357
32	Afonso Pires		1357	6 September 1372	6 September 1372
33	Lourenço I Vicente		27 March 1373	6 November 1373
34	João III		6 November 1373	1389	1389
35	Martinho III		1390	1391
36	João (IV) Afonso de Azambuja		1391	1398	23 January 1415
37	Gil Alma		6 August 1399	1407	1415
38	João V Afonso Aranha		1407	1414
39	Fernando III Guerra	1390	1416	1417	26 September 1467
40	Vasco II		14--	1430
41	António Martins de Chaves		1430	1447	1447
42	Durando		1447	14--
43	Gonçalo I de Óbidos		14--	1454
44	Luís Pires		1454	1464
45	João VI de Azevedo		1465	1494
46	Diogo I de Sousa		1494	1505
47	Diogo II Álvares da Costa		1505	1507
48	Pedro VI Álvares da Costa	1484	12 February 1507	8 January 1535	20 February 1563
49	Belchior Beliago		1535	1538
50	Baltazar Limpo		1538	1552
51	Rodrigo I Pinheiro		1552	1574
52	Aires da Silva		1574	4 August 1578	4 August 1578
53	Simão Pereira		1578
54	Marcos de Lisboa			1591
55	Jerónimo I de Menezes		1591
56	Gonçalo II de Morais			1618
57	Rodrigo II da Cunha	September, 1577	1618	1627	3 January 1643
58	João VII de Valadares		1627	1635
59	Gaspar do Rego da Fonseca		1635	1639
X	Francisco Pereira Pinto	Chosen in 1640 by Philip IV of Spain but didn't took possession
Vacant see (1640–1671)
X	Sebastião César de Menezes	Chosen by John IV of Portugal but not recognized by the Pope
X	Pedro VII de Menezes
60	Nicolau Monteiro		1671	1673	1673
61	Fernando IV Correia de Lacerda		1673
62	João VIII de Sousa
63	José I Saldanha		1697	1708	1708
64	Tomás de Almeida	5 October 1670	22 July 1709	7 December 1716	22 February 1754
Vacant see (1716–1739)
X	João IX Maria	Elected in 1739 but unconfirmed by Clement XII
65	José II Maria da Fonseca		1739
66	António I de Távora			1766	1766
67	Aleixo de Miranda Henriques		1766	1771
68	João X Rafael de Mendonça		1771	1773	1773
69	Lourenço II Correia de Sá Benevides		1796	1798	1798
70	António II de Castro			1814
71	João XI Magalhães de Avelar	22 December 1754	29 April 1816	16 May 1833	16 May 1833
72	Manuel de Santa Inês	Elected in 1833 but unconfirmed by Gregory XVI
73	Jerónimo II da Costa Rebelo		1843	1854	1854
74	António III Fonseca Moniz		1854	1859	1859
Vacant see (1859–1862)
75	João XII de França Castro e Moura		1862	16 October 1868[3]	16 October 1868
Vacant see (1868–1871)
76	Américo Ferreira dos Santos Silva	16 January 1829	26 June 1871	21 January 1899	21 January 1899
77	António IV José de Sousa Barroso	4 November 1854	20 May 1899	31 August 1918	31 August 1918
78	António V Barbosa Leão	17 October 1860	16 July 1919	21 June 1929	21 June 1919
79	António VI Augusto de Castro Meireles	13 August 1885	21 June 1929[4]	29 March 1942[5]	29 March 1942
80	Agostinho de Jesus e Sousa	7 March 1877	16 May 1942	21 February 1952	21 February 1952
81	António VII Ferreira Gomes	10 May 1906	13 July 1952	2 May 1982	13 April 1989
82	Júlio Tavares Rebimbas	21 January 1922	12 February 1982	13 June 1997	—
83	Armindo Lopes Coelho	13 February 1931	13 June 1997	22 February 2007	29 September 2010	—
84	Manuel José Macário do Nascimento Clemente	16 July 1948	22 February 2007	—	—

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Notes

References

1. ^ Catholic Hierarchy page
2. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia article
3. ^ Azevedo, Carlos A. Moreira (1999-01-27). "Américo Ferreira dos Santos Silva (1830-1899)" (in Portuguese). Ecclesia.pt. Archived from the original on 2006-10-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20061012010955/http://www.ecclesia.pt/porto/destaque/cardeal_americo.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-12. 
4. ^ Chosen as successor of the preceding bishop before the latter's retirement or death .
5. ^ Diocese of Angra (2005-08-09). "D. António Augusto de Castro Meireles" (in Portuguese). Agência Ecclesia - Agência de Notícias da Igreja Católica Portuguesa. http://www.agencia.ecclesia.pt/diocese/pub/11/noticia.asp?jornalid=11&noticiaid=22076. Retrieved 2006-12-12. ^{[dead link]}

• Cheney, David M. (2006-08-16). "Porto (Diocese)". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dprtp.html. Retrieved 2006-12-12. 
• Knight, Kevin. "Catholic Encyclopedia: Oporto". The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IX. Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11260a.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-12. 
• Peres, Dr. Damião; Dr. António Cruz, Bernardo Gabriel Cardoso Jr., Rev. Dr. B. Xavier Coutinho, Conde de Campo Belo, Dr. Cruz Malpique, Dr. Artur Magalhães Basto, Dr. Eugénio da Cunha e Freitas, Dr. João Pinto Ferreira, Dr. Luís de Pina and Dr. Torquato Soares. "O Porto, Cidade Episcopal: Séculos XII a XIV". In Livraria Civilização Editora (in Portuguese). História da Cidade do Porto. illustrated by Gouvêa Portuense. Portucalense Editora. pp. 159–297. ISBN 972-26-0391-4. 

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.