Diocese of Funchal, Portugal

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Funchal (Português) / Madeira / Funchalen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Lisboa

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint James Minor (May 1), Nossa Senhora do Monte (October 9)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: October 18

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1514.06.12: Established as Diocese of Funchal (Português) / Madeira / Funchalen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Marruecos and became suffragan of Lisboa)
1533.01.31: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Funchal (Português) / Madeira / Funchalen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Goa and Santiago de Cabo Verde and lost territory to establish Diocese of Goa and Diocese of Santiago de Cabo Verde)
1534.11.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Angra and Diocese of Tomé and gained suffragan sees Angra and Tomé
1551.02.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos and gained suffragan see São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos
1551.07.03: Demoted as Diocese of Funchal (Português) / Madeira / Funchalen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Lisboa)
1763: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Sénégal
1842.01.22: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie

Contact Info

Address: Casa Episcopal do Funchal, Largo Conde Ribeiro Real, 49 - C.P.4550, 9001-801 Funchal, Portugal

Phone: 291 742 917

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1991.05)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.01.12 – ...):

Bishop Nuno Brás da Silva Martins (60)

Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community

Ordinaries

Bishops of Funchal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Nuno Brás da Silva Martins (60)
(2019.01.12 – ...)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal)
Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community

In verbo tuo

Born:	1963.05.12 (Vimeiro, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1987.07.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.11.20

Priest of Lisboa (Portugal) (1987.07.04 – 2011.10.10)

Titular Bishop of Elvas (2011.10.10 – 2019.01.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lisboa (Portugal) (2011.10.10 – 2019.01.12)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (2019.01.12 – ...)

Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (2023.03.22 – ...)

Bishop António José Cavaco Carrilho (82)
(2007.03.08 – 2019.01.12)

Bishop emeritus of Funchal (Portugal)

Faz-te ao largo

Born:	1942.04.11 (Loulé, Algarve, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1965.07.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.05.29

Priest of Porto (Portugal) (1965.07.28 – 1999.02.22)

Titular Bishop of Tamalluma (1999.02.22 – 2007.03.08)

Auxiliary Bishop of Porto (Portugal) (1999.02.22 – 2007.03.08)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (2007.03.08 – 2019.01.12)

Bishop Teodoro de Faria (93)
(1982.03.10 – 2007.03.08)

Bishop emeritus of Funchal (Portugal)

Born:	1930.08.24 (Funchal, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1956.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.05.16

Priest of Funchal (Portugal) (1956.09.22 – 1982.03.10)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1982.03.10 – 2007.03.08)

Bishop Francisco Antunes Santana
(1974.03.18 – 1982.03.05)

Born:	1924.10.11 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1948.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.04.21
Died:	1982.03.05 († 57)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1974.03.18 – 1982.03.05)

Bishop João Antonio da Silva Saraiva
(1965.11.21 – 1972.06.28)

Born:	1923.09.20 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1946.07.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.11.19
Died:	1976.04.03 († 52)

Titular Bishop of Mopta (1965.08.30 – 1965.11.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Évora (Portugal) (1965.08.30 – 1965.11.21)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1965.11.21 – 1972.06.28)

Bishop of Coimbra (Portugal) (1972.06.28 – 1976.04.03)

Bishop David de Sousa, O.F.M. (later Archbishop)
(1957.09.23 – 1965.11.15)

Christus urget nos

Born:	1911.10.25 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1937.07.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.11.10
Died:	2006.02.05 († 94)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1957.09.23 – 1965.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Évora (Portugal) (1965.11.15 – 1981.10.17)

Bishop Antonio Emanuele Pereira Ribeiro
(1914.10.02 – 1957.03.22)

Born:	1879.02.16 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1901.10.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1915.02.07
Died:	1957.03.22 († 78)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1914.10.02 – 1957.03.22)

Bishop Manuel Agostinho Barreto
(1876.09.29 – 1911.06.26)

Born:	1835.12.07 (Portugal)
Consecrated Bishop:	1877.02.04
Died:	1911.06.26 († 75)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) ([1876.06.08] 1876.09.29 – 1911.06.26)

Bishop Aires de Ornelas de Vasconcelos (later Archbishop)
(1872.10.27 – 1874.07.23)

Born:	1837.09.18 (Portugal)
Consecrated Bishop:	1871.05.07
Died:	1880.11.28 († 43)

Titular Bishop of Gerasa (1871.03.06 – 1872.10.27)

Coadjutor Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1871.03.06 – 1872.10.27)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1872.10.27 – 1874.07.23)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Goa (India) (1874.07.23 – 1880.11.28)

Bishop Patrício Xavier de Moura
(1859.04.15 – 1872.09.19)

Born:	1800.08.03 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1823.02.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1849
Died:	1872.09.19 († 72)

Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde (Cabo Verde) (1845.05.31 – 1859.04.15)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1859.04.15 – 1872.09.19)

Bishop Manuel Martins Manso
(1850.05.20 – 1858.03.18)

Born:	1793.11.21 (Portugal)
Died:	1878.12.01 († 85)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1850.05.20 – 1858.03.18)

Bishop of Guarda (Portugal) (1858.03.18 – 1878.12.01)

Bishop José Xavier de Cerveira e Sousa
(1843.06.14 – 1848.04.18)

Born:	1797.11.27 (Portugal)
Consecrated Bishop:	1844.06.02
Died:	1862.03.15 († 64)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1843.06.14 – 1848.04.18)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1848.04.18 – 1859.01.07)

Bishop of Viseu (Portugal) (1859.01.07 – 1862.03.15)

Bishop Francisco José Rodrigues de Andrade
(1821.09.24 – 1838.05.02)

Died:

1838.05.02

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1821.09.24 – 1838.05.02)

Bishop João Joaquim Bernardino de Brito
(1819.08.28 – 1820.07.26)

Died:

1820.07.26

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1819.08.28 – 1820.07.26)

Bishop Luís Rodrigues Vilares
(1797.07.24 – 1810)

Died:

1810

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1797.07.24 – 1810)

Bishop José da Costa e Torres (later Archbishop)
(1785.02.14 – 1796.06.22)

Born:	1741.08.11 (Portugal)
Died:	1813 († 72)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1785.02.14 – 1796.06.22)

Bishop of Elvas (1796.06.22 – 1806)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Braga (Portugal) (1806 – 1813)

Bishop Gaspar Afonso da Costa Brandão
(1756.07.18 – 1784.01.28)

Died:

1784.01.28

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1756.07.18 – 1784.01.28)

Bishop João do Nascimento
(1741.01.02 – 1753.11.05)

Died:

1753.11.05

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1741.01.02 – 1753.11.05)

Bishop Manuel Coutinho, O.Christ.
(1725.02.21 – 1741.02.25)

Born:	1671
Consecrated Bishop:	1725.05.13
Died:	1742.08.07 († 70)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1725.02.21 – 1741.02.25)

Bishop of Lamego (Portugal) (1741.02.25 – 1742.08.07)

Bishop José de Sousa Castelo Branco
(1698.01.27 – 1725.02.18)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1698.01.27 – 1725.02.18)

Bishop José de Santa Maria Saldanha, O.F.M. Disc.
(1690.03.06 – 1696.12.17)

Died:

1708.09.26

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1690.03.06 – 1696.12.17)

Bishop of Porto (Portugal) (1696.12.17 – 1708.09.26)

Bishop Estevão Brioso de Figueiredo
(1683.09.27 – 1689.05.20)

Born:	1630 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1658.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1677.03.21
Died:	1689.05.20 († 58)

Bishop of Olinda (Brazil) (1676.11.16 – 1683.09.27)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1683.09.27 – 1689.05.20)

Bishop António Teles da Silva, O.S.B.
(1674.12.17 – 1682.11.14)

Died:

1682.11.14

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1674.12.17 – 1682.11.14)

Bishop Gabriel de Almeida, O. Cist.
(1670.12.15 – 1674.07.12)

Died:

1674.07.12

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1670.12.15 – 1674.07.12)

Bishop Jerónimo Fernando
(1619.02.18 – 1650.05.02)

Died:

1650.05.02

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1619.02.18 – 1650.05.02)

Bishop Lourenço de Távora, O.F.M. Cap.
(1609.10.24 – 1617.09.18)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1609.10.24 – 1617.09.18)

Bishop of Elvas (1617.09.18 – 1625)

Bishop Luís de Figueiredo e Lemos
(1585.12.11 – 1608.11.26)

Born:	1544.08.21 (Portugal)
Died:	1608.11.26 († 64)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1585.12.11 – 1608.11.26)

Bishop Gerónimo Barreto
(1573.04.27 – 1585.06.03)

Died:

1589

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1573.04.27 – 1585.06.03)

Bishop of Faro (Portugal) (1585.06.03 – 1589)

Bishop Fernando de Távora, O.P.
(1569.11.14 – 1573)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1569.11.14 – 1573)

Bishop Jorge de Lemos, O.P.
(1556.03.09 – 1569.11.15)

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1556.03.09 – 1569.11.15)

Bishop Gaspar do Casal, O.E.S.A.
(1551.07.03 – 1556.03.09)

Consecrated Bishop:	1552
Died:	1584.08.09

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1551.07.03 – 1556.03.09)

Bishop of Leiria (Portugal) (1556.03.09 – 1579.11.27)

Bishop of Coimbra (Portugal) (1579.11.27 – 1584.08.09)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Funchal (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Martinho de Portugal
(1533.02.10 – 1547.11.15)

Died:

1547.11.15

Metropolitan Archbishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1533.02.10 – 1547.11.15)

Bishops of Funchal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Diogo Pinheiro
(1514.06.12 – 1526)

Died:

1526

Bishop of Funchal (Portugal) (1514.06.12 – 1526)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Aires de Ornelas de Vasconcelos (later Archbishop) (1871.03.06 – 1872.10.27)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Manuel de Jesus Pereira (1948.02.07 – 1953)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Funchal, Ilha da Madeira, Madeira
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Churches by City (107)

Angra (↖), Rabat (→), San Cristóbal de La Laguna (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 801 km²

Population: 240,000 Catholics (95.6% of 251,060 total)

Pastoral Centres: 96 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 93 priests (69 diocesan, 24 religious), 126 religious (27 brothers, 99 sisters), 1 seminarian