Metropolitan Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Belo Horizonte / Bellohorizontin(us) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Divinópolis, Luz, Oliveira, Sete Lagoas

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Piedade

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1921.02.11: Established as Diocese of Belo Horizonte / Bellohorizontin(us) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mariana and became suffragan of Mariana)
1924.02.01: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte / Bellohorizontin(us) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Aterrado and Uberaba)
1941.12.20: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Oliveira and gained suffragan see Oliveira
1955.04.05: Gained suffragan see Patos de Minas
1955.07.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Sete Lagoas and gained suffragan see Sete Lagoas
1958.07.11: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Divinópolis and gained suffragan see Divinópolis
1961.07.22: Gained suffragan see Uberlândia
1962.04.14: Lost suffragan sees Patos de Minas, Uberaba and Uberlândia

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1980.07)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2004.01.28 – ...):	Archbishop Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo (70) Ordinary of Ordinariato para os Fiéis de Ritos Orientais no Brasil of the Eastern Rite (Brazil)
Auxiliary Bishop (2006.02.11 – ...):	Bishop Joaquim Giovanni Mol Guimarães (65) Titular Bishop of Galtellì
Auxiliary Bishop (2020.12.23 – ...):	Bishop Nivaldo dos Santos Ferreira (57) Titular Bishop of Thiava
Auxiliary Bishop (2020.12.23 – ...):	Bishop Júlio César Gomes Moreira (52) Titular Bishop of Thisiduo
Auxiliary Bishop (2021.10.27 – ...):	Bishop Joel Maria dos Santos (58) Titular Bishop of Thenæ
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.03.06 – ...):	Bishop Edmar José da Silva (49) Titular Bishop of Garriana
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.05.15 – ...):	Bishop José Otacio Oliveira Guedes (50) Titular Bishop of Severiana

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Belo Horizonte (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo (70)
(2004.01.28 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil)
Ordinary of Ordinariato para os Fiéis de Ritos Orientais no Brasil of the Eastern Rite (Brazil)

Ut mederer contritis corde

Born:	1954.04.26 (Cocos, BA, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1977.09.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.05.10

Priest of Juiz de Fora (Brazil) (1977.09.09 – 1998.01.21)

Titular Bishop of Caliábria (1998.01.21 – 2004.01.28)

Auxiliary Bishop of São Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) (1998.01.21 – 2004.01.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (2004.01.28 – ...)

Ordinary of Ordinariato para os Fiéis de Ritos Orientais no Brasil of the Eastern Rite (Brazil) (2010.07.28 – ...)

President of National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (2019.05.06 – 2023.04.24)

Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araújo
(1986.02.05 – 2004.01.28)

Seraphim juxta eum

Born:	1924.08.13 (Minas Novas, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1949.03.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.05.07
Created Cardinal:	1998.02.21
Died:	2019.10.08 (Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil † 95)

Priest of Diamantina (Brazil) (1949.03.12 – 1959.01.19)

Titular Bishop of Verinopolis (1959.01.19 – 1982.11.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1959.01.19 – 1982.11.22)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1982.11.22 – 1986.02.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1986.02.05 – 2004.01.28)

Vice-President of National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (1991 – 1995)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Luigi Maria Grignion de Montfort (1998.02.21 [1998.10.25] – 2019.10.08)

Archbishop João Resende Costa, S.D.B.
(1967.11.15 – 1986.02.05)

In laudem gloriæ Dei

Born:	1910.10.19 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1935.07.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.05.24
Died:	2007.07.21 († 96)

Bishop of Ilhéus (Brazil) (1953.02.23 – 1957.07.19)

Titular Archbishop of Martyropolis (1957.07.19 – 1967.11.15)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1957.07.19 – 1967.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1967.11.15 – 1986.02.05)

Archbishop Antônio dos Santos Cabral
(1924.02.01 – 1967.11.15)

Per eucharistiam vivat in nobis Christus

Born:	1884.10.08 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1907.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1918.04.14
Died:	1967.11.15 († 83)

Bishop of Natal (Brazil) (1917.09.01 – 1921.11.21)

Bishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1921.11.21 – 1924.02.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1924.02.01 – 1967.11.15)

Apostolic Administrator of Oliveira (Brazil) (1944 – 1945.08.14)

Bishops of Belo Horizonte (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antônio dos Santos Cabral (later Archbishop)
(1921.11.21 – 1924.02.01)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Serafim Fernandes de Araújo (later Cardinal) (1982.11.22 – 1986.02.05)
Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop João Resende Costa, S.D.B. (1957.07.19 – 1967.11.15)
Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Hugo Bressane de Araújo (1951.09.03 – 1954.10.07)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Vicente de Paula Ferreira, C.SS.R. (54) (2017.03.08 – 2023.02.01)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Geovane Luís da Silva (53) (2016.12.21 – 2023.04.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Otacílio Ferreira de Lacerda (64) (2016.12.21 – 2019.06.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Edson José Oriolo dos Santos (60) (2015.04.15 – 2019.10.30)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop João Justino de Medeiros Silva (58) (later Archbishop) (2011.12.21 – 2017.02.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Wilson Luís Angotti Filho (66) (2011.05.04 – 2015.04.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Luiz Gonzaga Féchio (59) (2011.01.19 – 2016.01.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Aloísio Jorge Pena Vitral (69) (2006.02.11 – 2009.11.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Décio Sossai Zandonade, S.D.B. (82) (1996.12.11 – 2003.05.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop David Dias Pimentel (1996.12.11 – 2001.02.07)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Sebastião Roque Rabelo Mendes (1989.05.10 – 2004.12.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Werner Franz Siebenbrock, S.V.D. (1988.10.12 – 1994.11.09)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Arnaldo Ribeiro (later Archbishop) (1975.11.06 – 1988.12.28)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Dalvit, F.S.C.I. (1973.10.05 – 1977.01.17)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Serafim Fernandes de Araújo (later Cardinal) (1959.01.19 – 1982.11.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Geraldo María de Morais Penido (later Archbishop) (1956.03.10 – 1957.11.30)