# Roman Catholic Diocese of Porto, Portugal

The Diocese of Porto (Latin: Dioecesis Portugallensis) (Oporto) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga. Its see at Porto is in the Norte region, and the second largest city in Portugal.

## History

The diocese was probably founded in the middle of the sixth century. At the third Council of Toledo (589) the Arian bishop Argiovittus, though he condemned the Arian belief and accepted the Catholic belief, was deposed in favour of bishop Constantinus. In 610 Bishop Argebertus assisted at the Council of Toledo, summoned by King Gundemar to sanction the metropolitan claims of Toledo. Bishop Ansiulfus was present at the Sixth Council of Toledo (638), and Bishop Flavius at the Tenth (656).
Bishop Froaricus was one of eight bishops who attended the provincial council of Braga (675), and the Twelfth (681), Thirteenth (683), and Fifteenth (688) Councils of Toledo. His successor Felix appeared at the Sixteenth Council (693). No other bishop is recorded under the Visigothic monarchy.

### Arab occupation

In 716 the Arabs began their invasion and conquest of Portugal, including Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Tuy, Lugo, and Orense. The areas were depopulated. After the Arab invasion Justus seems to have been the first bishop (c. 882). He is only a name. Gomado was probably elected in 872, when King Affonso III won back the city. The names of only four other prelates have been preserved: Froarengus (906), Hermogius (912), Hordonius (attested in 931), and Didacus (Diego) (c. 962?).
Porto fell again into Moorish hands.

### Restoration

On the recovery of Porto for Christianity, which was being promoted by the Burgundian Count Henry, son-in-law of King Alfonso VI of Castile and governor of the lands from the Minho River to the banks of the Tagus, priests and prelates were being imported, especially those with connections to Cluny in Burgundy. Hugo (Hugh) became bishop (1114-1136). He had been a Canon of the Cathedral of Compostella, and under the patronage of Bishop Diego Gelmirez, a Cluniac, he was said to have been a co-author of the Historia Compostellana. In 1103-1104 he was sent to Rome on an embassy for the Church of Compostella, and obtained a bull granting numerous privileges, one of which was the right of the Bishop of Compostella to name Cardinals of Compostella. Hugo became a Cardinal. In 1109 he was Archdeacon of Compostella, but at the time of his election to the diocese of Porto and not yet ordained. He was ordained a priest on the day before Passion Sunday, and was consecrated a bishop on 23 March 1113 by Archbishop Mauricio Burdino of Braga, another Cluniac. As Bishop of Porto he secured from Pope Paschal II, by a bull granted on 15 August 1115, exemption of his diocese from the supervisory control of 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 Porto with all the rents and dues thereof. Bishop Hugo was present at the Council of Compostella in 1114, the Council of Sagunto in 1121 (under the presidency of Cardinal Boso, the papal Legate), and the Synod of Compostella in 1122.
John Peculiar was promoted to Braga (1138), his nephew, Pedro Rabaldis, succeeding at Porto. 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 and was promoted to Braga in 1189 or 1190. Martinho Rodrigues ruled from 1191 to 1235. He quarreled with the chapter over their share of the rents of the see. Later on, fresh disagreements arose in which King Sancho I 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 III, brother of Sancho II 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 Porto, 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.
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; and 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 I. The see was then held by two brothers in succession, Diogo 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, Porto 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 Quibir 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", the earliest surviving account of the diocese, describes the state of the cathedral and enumerates the parishes of the diocese with their population and income in 1623. His successor was Frei João de Valadares, transferred from the See of Miranda. Gaspar do Rego da Fonseca held the see four years (1635–39). King Philip III named Francisco Pereira Pinto, but the revolution in 1640 prevented his taking possession; moreover he never received his bulls of consecration and installation from Pope Urban VIII, and therefore he could not be consecrated or installed as bishop. The diocese was considered vacant until 1670, being ruled by administrators appointed by the Chapter of the Cathedral (Vicars capitular). In 1641 King 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; and 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, and 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 (1771–73), and Lourenço Correia de Sá Benevides (1796–98). Frei Antonio de Castro became Patriarch of Lisbon in 1814, being followed at Porto 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 Porto. A popular lawyer named Mesquita started a campaign against him, because the bishop refused to dismiss some priests; a reputed reactionary, who served the Aguardente Chapel, got himself elected judge of the Brotherhood of the Temple and 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 (1911) Bishop António Barroso, an ex-missionary, was transferred from the see of Mylapore to that of Porto.

### Cathedral

The Porto Cathedral was dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. It had a Chapter, a corporation composed of eight dignities (not dignitaries) and twelve Canons. The dignities included: the Dean, the Cantor, the Master of the Schola, the Theologus and the Archdeacon of Porto. On 9 September 1455 Bishop Luis Pires (1453-1464) instituted a second Archdeacon, the Archdeacon of Oliveira.

## Bishops

Partial list of the bishops of Porto. Bishops who were later elevated to the rank of cardinal are shown in bold typeface.

### from 1100 to 1400

| # | Name | Appointed | Retired | Date of Death |
| Vacant see (1091–1113) ||||||
| 13 | Hugo | 23 March 1113 | 7 December 1136 | 7 December 1136 |
| 14 | João Peculiar, C.C.S.C. | 1136 | 1138 | 3 December 1175 |
| 15 | Pedro I RabaldesC.C.S.C. | by October 1138 | 29 June 1145 | 29 June 1145 |
| 16 | Pedro II Pitões | before 1 July 1146 | 1152 | |
| 17 | Pedro III Sénior | 1154 ? | 1174 ? | |
| 18 | Fernando I Martins | 1176 | 1185 | |
| 19 | Martinho I Pires | 1186 | 1189 | |
| 19b | Martinho Rodrigues | 1191 | 1227 | |
| 20 | Julianus | 1227 | 1230 | 1230 |
| 21 | Pedro Salvadores | 1231 | 24 June 1247 | 24 June 1247 |
| 22 | Julião Fernandes | 1247 | 31 October 1260 | 31 October 1260 |
| 23 | Vicente Mendes | 1261 | shortly after 24 April 1296 | after 24 April 1296 |
| 24 | Sancho Pires | 3 June 1296 | 7 January 1300 | 7 January 1300 |
| 25 | Geraldo Palentino (Domingues) | 19 March 1300 | before 16 September 1307 | 5 March 1321 |
| 26 | Frédole Capelier | 16 September 1307 | 30 June 1309 | 30 June 1309 |
| 27 | Stephanus, O. Min. | 11 February 1310 | 8 October 1313 | 28 March 1326 |
| 28 | Fernando II Ramires | 19 March 1314 | 1322 | |
| 29 | João II Gomes | 25 March 1323 | 5 December 1327 | 5 December 1327 |
| 30 | Vasco Martins | 15 January 1328 | 25 September 1342 | |
| 31 | Pedro Alfonso | 25 September 1342 | 1357 | 1358 ? |
| 32 | Afonso Pires | 1357 | 6 September 1372 | 6 September 1372 |
| 33 | Lourenço Vicente | 27 March 1373 | 6 November 1373 | |
| 34 | João III | 9 February 1373 | c. 1388 | c. 1388 |
| 35 | Martinho Gil | 4 June 1390 | 15 February 1391 | |
| 36 | João Afonso de Azambuja | 15 February 1391 | 1398 | 23 January 1415 |

### from 1400 to 1700

| # | Name | Date of Birth | Appointed | Retired | Date of Death |
| 37 | Gil Alma | | 6 August 1399 | 1407 | 1415 |
| 38 | João V Afonso Aranha | | 1407 | 1414 | |
| 39 | Fernando da Guerra | 1390 | 18 June 1414 | 15 December 1417 | 26 September 1467 |
| 39a | Joannes Alfonsi | | 26 January 1418 | ? | |
| 40 | Vasco Petri | | 2 April 1421 | 1423 | 1428 |
| 41 | António Martins de Chaves | | 10 March 1423 | 1447 | 5 July 1447 |
| 43 | Gonçalo I de Óbidos | | 18 August 1477 | 1453 | |
| 44 | Luís Pires | | 24 August 1453 | 26 November 1464 | March 1480 |
| 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 de Sá Pereira (bishop) | | 13 November 1579 | | March 1581 |
| 54 | Marcos de Lisboa, O.Min. | | 20 October 1581 | 13 September 1591 | 13 September 1591 |
| 55 | Jerónimo I de Menezes | | 22 May 1592 | 12 December 1600 | 12 December 1600 |
| 56 | Gonçalo de Morais. O.S.B. | 1543 | 26 June 1602 | 20 October 1617 | 20 October 1617 |
| 57 | Rodrigo II da Cunha | September, 1577 | 12 November 1618 | 27 January 1627 | 3 January 1643 |
| 58 | João VII de Valadares, O.E.S.A. | | 30 August 1627 | 23 May 1635 | 23 May 1635 |
| 59 | Gaspar do Rego da Fonseca | | 9 June 1636 | 13 July 1639 | 13 July 1639 |
| Vacant see (1640–1670) ||||||
| X | Francisco Pereira Pinto | Nominated in 1640 by Philip III of Portugal but did not receive approval from Pope Urban VIII. | Nominated in 1640 by Philip III of Portugal but did not receive approval from Pope Urban VIII. | Nominated in 1640 by Philip III of Portugal but did not receive approval from Pope Urban VIII. | Nominated in 1640 by Philip III of Portugal but did not receive approval from Pope Urban VIII. |
| X | Sebastião César de Menezes | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope |
| X | Pedro VII de Menezes | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope |
| X | Luis de Souza | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope | Nominated in 1641, 1659, and 1669 by John IV of Portugal, but not approved by the Pope |
| 60 | Nicolau Monteiro | December 1581 | 15 December 1670 | 20 December 1672 | 20 December 1672 |
| 61 | Fernando IV Correia de Lacerda | | 17 July 1673 | before 1 September 1683 | 1 September 1685 |
| 62 | João de Sousa | 1647 | 6 December 1683 | 24 September 1696 | 28 September 1710 |

### from 1700 to present

| # | Name | Date of Birth | Appointed | Retired | Date of Death |
| 63 | José Saldanha, O.F.M.Disc. | | 17 December 1696 | 26 September 1708 | 26 September 1708 |
| 64 | Tomás de Almeida | 5 October 1670 | 22 July 1709 | 7 December 1716 | 22 February 1754 |
| Vacant see (1716–1741) ||||||
| X | João Maria | Appointed in 1739 but not confirmed by Pope Clement XII | Appointed in 1739 but not confirmed by Pope Clement XII | Appointed in 1739 but not confirmed by Pope Clement XII | Appointed in 1739 but not confirmed by Pope Clement XII |
| 65 | José Maria da Evora, O.F.M. Obs. | December 1690 | 2 January 1741 | 16 June 1752 | 16 June 1752 |
| 66 | António de Távora, O.E.S.A. | September 1690 | 28 March 1757 | 1766 | 4 June 1766 |
| 67 | Aleixo de Miranda Henriques, O.P. | | 1766 | 1771 | |
| 68 | João Rafael de Mendonça | 24 April 1717 | 1771 | 1793 | 1793 |
| 69 | Lourenço Correia de Sá Benevides | 25 March 1741 | 18 December 1795 | 1798 | 6 June 1798 |
| 70 | António de São José, O.Cart. | April 1745 | 13 November 1798 | 12 April 1814 | 12 April 1814 |
| 71 | João 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 | Elected in 1833 but unconfirmed by Gregory XVI | Elected in 1833 but unconfirmed by Gregory XVI | Elected in 1833 but unconfirmed by Gregory XVI |
| 73 | Jerónimo da Costa Rebelo | | 1843 | 1854 | 1854 |
| 74 | António Fonseca Moniz | | 1854 | 1859 | 1859 |
| Vacant see (1859–1862) ||||||
| 75 | João de França Castro e Moura | | 1862 | 16 October 1868 | 16 October 1868 |
| Vacant see (1868–1871) ||||||
| 76 | Americo Ferreira dos Santos Silva | 16 January 1829 | 26 June 1871 | 21 January 1899 | 21 January 1899 |
| 77 | António José de Sousa Barroso | 4 November 1854 | 20 May 1899 | 31 August 1918 | 31 August 1918 |
| 78 | António Barbosa Leão | 17 October 1860 | 16 July 1919 | 21 June 1929 | 21 June 1919 |
| 79 | António Augusto de Castro Meireles | 13 August 1885 | 21 June 1929 | 29 March 1942 | 29 March 1942 |
| 80 | Agostinho de Jesus e Sousa | 7 March 1877 | 16 May 1942 | 21 February 1952 | 21 February 1952 |
| 81 | António 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 | 6 December 2010 |
| 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 | 18 May 2013 | — |
| Vacant see (2013–2014) ||||||
| 85 | António Francisco dos Santos | 29 August 1948 | 21 February 2014 | 11 September 2017 | 11 September 2017 |
| 86 | Manuel da Silva Rodrigues Linda | 15 April 1956 | 15 March 2018 | — | — |