Brazil—3

This blog will discuss nine Catholic provinces in Brazil’s civil states of Acre, Amapa, Amazonas, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, Tocantins, and the Federal District.  All are located in western Brazil.

Please see my previous blogs on Brazil:

• Brazil-1 was published on September 6, 2019
• Brazil-2 was published on September 9, 2019

Province of Belem do Para

The province consists of the civil state of Amapa and part of Para.  The Diocese of Belem do Para was created in 1720 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1906.  

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace in Belem was built between 1748 and 1782.  It was designed by an Italian architect who was inspired by churches in his native Bologna.  The Baroque-Rococo façade has a niche with a statue of Our Lady.  The façade is flanked by two towers with neoclassical pyramidal spires.  The interior was redone in 1882 and features paintings by Italian artists.  The French pipe organ is said to be the largest in Latin America.  The Cathedral has ten side altars, 28 bronze chandeliers, and several stained glass windows.

All are from Wikipedia.

The Province has nine suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Santissima Conceicao do Araguaia was created as a territorial prelature in 1911 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Braganca do Para was created as a territorial prelature in 1928 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Ponta de Pedras was created as a territorial prelature in 1963 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Maraba was created as a territorial prelature in 1969 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Macapa was created as a territorial prelature in 1949 and became a diocese in 1980.
• The Diocese of Abaetetuba was created as a territorial prelature in 1961 and became a diocese in 1981.
• The Diocese of Castanhal was created in 2004.
• The Diocese of Cameta was created as a territorial prelature in 1952 and became a diocese in 2013.
• The Territorial Prelature of Marajo was created in 1928.

Province of Cuiaba

The province consists of the civil state of Mato Grosso.  The Territorial Prelature of Cuiaba was created in 1745.  This became a diocese in 1826 and the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuiaba in 1910.  

The Cathedral Basilica of the Good Lord Jesus is in Cuiaba.  The first church was built in the mid-1740s, but was demolished in 1968.  It was replaced with the current concrete structure in 1973.  Pope Paul VI named this a minor basilica in 1974.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has eight suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Sao Luiz de Caceres was created in 1910.
• The Diocese of Diamantino was created as a territorial prelature in 1929 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Sinop was created in 1982.
• The Diocese of Barra do Garcas was created in 1982.
• The Diocese of Rondonopolis-Guiratinga was created as a territorial prelature in 1940 and became a diocese in 1986.
• The Diocese of Juina was created in 1997.
• The Diocese of Primavera do Leste-Paranatinga was created as a territorial prelature in 1997 and became a diocese in 2014.
• The Territorial Prelature of Sao Felix was created in 1969.

Province of Manaus

The province consists of the civil state of Roraima and part of Amazonas.  The Diocese of Amazonas was created in 1892 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manaus in 1952.  

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception parish in Manaus dates to 1695 and the current church to 1878.  The Cathedral is built in a Greek revival style.  Its six bells and limestone baptistery and altars all came from Portugal.

The top picture is from Dreamstime and the bottom is from Wikipedia.

The Province has eight suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Roraima was created as an apostolic administration in 1934, became a territorial prelature in 1944, and a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Parintins was created as a territorial prelature in 1955 and became a diocese in 1980.
• The Diocese of Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira was created as a territorial prelature in 1925 and became a diocese in 1981.
• The Diocese of Alto Solimoes was created as an apostolic prefecture in 1910, became a territorial prelature in 1950, and a diocese in 1991.
• The Diocese of Coari was created as a territorial prelature in 1963 and became a diocese in 2013.
• The Territorial Prelature of Borba was created in 1963 and became a diocese in 2022.
• The Territorial Prelature of Tefe was created as an apostolic prefecture in 1910 and became a territorial prelature in 1950.
• The Territorial Prelature of Itacoatiara was created in 1963.

Province of Goiania

The province consists of part of the civil state of Goias.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Goiania was established in 1956.  

Our Lady Help of Christians Cathedral in Goiania opened in 1956.  The cathedral is built in a modern-eclectic style with elements of neo-Renaissance, neo-Gothic, and art deco.  It has one tower.

The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has seven suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Goias was created in 1745 as a territorial prelature.  It became a diocese in 1826 and a metropolitan archdiocese in 1932.  It was demoted back to a diocese in 1956.
• The Diocese of Jatai was created as a territorial prelature in 1929 and became a diocese in 1956.
• The Diocese of Anapolis was created in 1966.
• The Diocese of Ipameri was created in 1966.
• The Diocese of Itumbiara was created in 1966.
• The Diocese of Rubiataba-Mozarlandia was created as a territorial prelature in 1966 and was promoted to a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Sao Luis de Montes Belos was created as a territorial prelature in 1961 and became a diocese in 1981.

Province of Brasilia

The province consists of the Federal District and part of the civil state of Goias.  The Diocese of Brasilia was established in 1960 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1966.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Apparition in Brasilia was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and built between 1958 and 1970.  It is a modern hyperboloid structure with 16 concrete columns each weighing 90 tons.  The columns support a glass roof.  Most of the Cathedral, which can hold 4,000 people, is underground.  Worshipers and visitors, who number one million a year, enter through a dark tunnel and come to the bright worship space.  The interior has a 22,000 square foot stained glass work and three sculpted angels.  The main altar was donated by Pope Paul VI.  Outside the Cathedral is a 66-foot tall bell tower with four bells. 

The top picture is from Pinterest and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Uruacu was created in 1956.
• The Diocese of Formosa was created as a territorial prelature in 1956 and was promoted to a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Luziania was created in 1989.

Province of Campo Grande

The province consists of the civil state of Mato Grosso do Sul.  The Diocese of Campo Grande was established in 1957 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1978.  The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Abbey and St. Anthony is in Campo Grande.  The modern Cathedral was built in the 1980s and has several stained glass windows.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Corumba was created in 1910.
• The Diocese of Dourados was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Tres Lagoas was created in 1978.
• The Diocese of Jardim was created in 1981.
• The Diocese of Coxim was created as a territorial prelature in 1978 and became a diocese in 2002.
• The Diocese of Navirai was created in 2011.

Province of Porto Velho

The province consists of the civil states of Acre, Rondonia, and part of Amazonas.  The Territorial Prelature of Porto Velho was created in 1925, became a diocese in 1979, and a metropolitan archdiocese in 1982.  The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Porto Velho was built in the early 20th Century employing Romanesque and Gothic styles.

The top picture is from Inspirock and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Guajara-Mirim was created as a territorial prelature in 1929 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Humaita was created as a territorial prelature in 1961 and became a diocese in 1979.
• The Diocese of Ji-Parana was created as a territorial prelature in 1978 and became a diocese in 1983.
• The Diocese of Rio Branco was created as a territorial prelature in 1919 and became a diocese in 1986.
• The Diocese of Cruzeiro do Sul was created as a territorial prelature in 1931 and became a diocese in 1987.
• The Territorial Prelature of Labrea was created in 1925.

Province of Palmas

The province consists of the civil state of Tocantins.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palmas was created in 1996.  Construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Palmas began in 2015.  The modern cathedral can seat 800 people.

Architectural drawing from the Cathedral website.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Porto Nacional was created in 1915.
• The Diocese of Tocantinopolis was created as a territorial prelature in 1954 and became a diocese in 1980.
• The Diocese of Miracema do Tocantins was created as a territorial prelature in 1966 and became a diocese in 1981.
• The Diocese of Cristalandia began as a territorial prelature in 1956 and became a diocese in 2019.

Province of Santarem

The province consists of part of the civil state of Para.  The Territorial Prelature of Santarem was created in 1903.  It was promoted to a diocese in 1979 and to a metropolitan archdiocese in 2019.  

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral is in Santarem.  The Cathedral was built between 1761 and 1819.  However, one tower collapsed in 1851 and the other was taken down shortly thereafter.  Both towers were rebuilt and the main altar completed in the 1880s.  The Cathedral’s stained glass windows depict Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Paul.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Obidos was created as a territorial prelature in 1957 and became a diocese in 2011.
• The Diocese of Xingu-Altamira was created as a territorial prelature in 1934 and became a diocese in 2019.
• The Territorial Prelature of Itaituba was created in 1988.
• The Territorial Prelature of Alto Xingu-Tucuma was created in 2019.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic administrations, apostolic prefectures, and territorial prefectures.  All are missionary territories below the level of a diocese. 

A basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  Some cathedrals are also basilicas.  Each basilica has a ceremonial umbrella in the papal colors of white and yellow and a ceremonial bell.  Both of these are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.