Catholic Church in Portugal
 Catholic Church in Portugal | |
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| Portuguese: Igreja Católica em Portugal | |
 Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, the seat of the Cardinal-Patriarch of Lisbon | |
| Type | National polity |
| Classification | Catholic |
| Orientation | Christianity |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Theology | Catholic theology |
| Governance | Episcopal Conference of Portugal |
| Pope | Francis |
| Primate | Jorge Ortiga |
| Patriarch of Lisbon | Manuel III |
| Apostolic Nuncio | Ivo Scapolo |
| Region | Portugal |
| Language | Portuguese, Latin |
| Headquarters | Lisbon Cathedral |
| Founder | St. Peter of Rates |
| Origin | 44 A.D. Lusitania, Roman Empire |
| Official website | Episcopal Conference of Portugal |
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The Portuguese Catholic Church, or Catholic Church in Portugal, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Pope in Rome, under the Portuguese Episcopal Conference. The Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian organisation. It is Portugal's largest religion and its former state religion, and has existed in the territory since the Iberian Peninsula was ruled by the Roman Empire.
There are an estimated nine million baptised Catholics in Portugal (84% of the population) in twenty dioceses, served by 2789 priests. Although a large number wish to be baptized, married in the church, and receive last rites, only 19% of the national population attend Mass and take the sacraments regularly.
In 2010, the average age of priests was 62.[1] In 2012 88% of the Portuguese population considered themselves culturally Catholic in a commissioned survey of religious attitudes sponsored by a Christian organization.[2]
History[]
Western Christianity was introduced to Lusitania, what is now Portugal under the Roman Empire in the first half of the first millennium AD. The present-day Portuguese state was founded in 1139 by King Afonso Henriques during the Reconquista, in which the Christian kingdoms of the northern Iberian Peninsula reconquered the South from the Cordoba Caliphate of the Sunni Muslim Moors. Crusaders from other Catholic realms aided the reconquest, which Portugal finished in 1249 with the conquest of Algarve.
After the Fall of Constantinople to the Sunni Caliphate of Ottoman Turks, Portuguese discoveries in the Age of Exploration, would lead to the establishment of the Portuguese Empire from the early 15th century onwards, spreading Catholicism to Portuguese colonies in Ceuta on the Barbary coast of North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the East Indies in Asia, and South America. The Lusophone countries of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique, São Tomé e Principe, and Timor-Leste all have Catholic majorities as a result.[3] The Primate of the East Indies based in the Portuguese Goa of early-modern India was part of the Portuguese Empire in the East, and a significant Latin Christian minority remains in the Indian subcontinent, the most prominent of which are Goan Catholics.[4] Bombay East Indian Christians, Mangalorean Christians& Latin Christians of Malabar are also among the lesser-known New Christian converts in the Eastern hemisphere.
In 1910, the Portuguese Republic abolished the policy of having the Latin Church as the state religion,[5] in favour of secularism. However, the right-wing Salazar regime from 1932 to 1974 re-established Catholicism as the state religion, which had repercussions such as the Annexation of Goa and Damaon, after which the system was subsequently disestablished along with the regime.[6]
Organization[]
Within Portugal, the hierarchy consists of archbishops and bishops. At the top of the hierarchy is the archbishop who is known as the Patriarch of Lisbon. The remainder of the dioceses of Portugal, each headed by a bishop, includes:
- Lisbon (with the dignity of Patriarchate)
- Angra
- Funchal
- Guarda
- Leiria-Fátima
- Portalegre-Castelo Branco
- Santarém
- Setúbal
- Braga
- Aveiro
- Bragança-Miranda
- Coimbra
- Lamego
- Porto
- Viana do Castelo
- Vila Real
- Viseu
- Évora
- Beja
- Faro
Sites[]
Portugal is also the location of one of the major Catholic shrines and Marian pilgrimage sites, in the world famous city of Fátima, honoring Our Lady of Fátima.
The northern city of Braga is an important Catholic center. A Portuguese saying which lists characteristics of different cities states that "Braga prays".[7] Besides the Cathedral of Braga, it also has the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sameiro.
One of the routes on the Way of St. James, a major Catholic pilgrimage to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain, is the Portuguese route (Portuguese: Caminho Português), starting from Lisbon Cathedral and spanning 610 km. Among those who have taken it was Queen Elizabeth of Portugal, who was canonized, in the 14th century.[8]
Portuguese Popes[]
Two popes have been born in what is now Portugal, although only the latter was ever a subject of a country by that name. Damasus I was born in what is now Portugal in 306, and his reign as pope from 366 to 384 saw the Scriptures translated to Latin. He is now a Saint, with his feast celebrated on December 11.[9]
Pedro Julião, born in Lisbon around 1215, led the church as Pope John XXI from 1276 to 1277.
Gallery[]
The Siege of Lisbon in 1147, part of the Reconquista (Crusades)
Our Lady of Fátima is the greatest Marian devotion in Portugal
Pope Saint Damasus I was from Roman Lusitania, now Portugal
Pope John XXI, born in Lisbon in c. 1215
See also[]
- Catholic University of Portugal
- Dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal
- Ecclesiastical history of Braga
- List of cathedrals in Portugal
- Portuguese Inquisition
- Religion in Portugal
References[]
- ^ "Pope's Trip Highlights Changing Face of Europe's Catholics". 2010-06-20. Archived from the original on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
- ^ EuroBarometer
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2122.html#po
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-07-23. Retrieved 2013-08-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Souza, Teotonio R. de. "The Portuguese Saints: St Teotonio to St Nuno". Cite journal requires
|journal=(help) - ^ "Culture of Portugal - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family". www.everyculture.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
- ^ "Insight Guides". www.insightguides.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2014-03-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Online, Catholic. "Pope Saint Damasus I - Saints & Angels". Catholic Online. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
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Marian apparitions in Fátima, Portugal, in 1917 | ||
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