Diocese of Beja, Portugal 🇵🇹

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Beja (Português) / Beien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Évora

Neighbouring Dioceses: Évora (↑), Mérida–Badajoz (↗), Huelva (↘), Faro (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: São José Operário (May 1)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: May 31

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

500: Established as Diocese of Pax Iulia / Pacen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Emerita Augusta)
715: Suppressed
1770.07.10: Restored as Diocese of Beja (Português) / Beien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Évora and became suffragan of Évora)
1975.07.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Setúbal

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.03.21 – ...):

Bishop Fernando Maio de Paiva (63)

Monsignors (2)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Beja (Roman Rite)

Bishop Fernando Maio de Paiva (63)
(2024.03.21 – ...)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal)

Born:	1962.11.26 (Oliveira, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	2005.04.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.07.07

Priest of Setúbal (Portugal) (2005.04.10 – 2024.03.21)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (2024.03.21 – ...)

Bishop José dos Santos Marcos (76)
(2016.11.03 – 2024.03.21)

Bishop emeritus of Beja (Portugal)

O jugo meo é suave

Born:	1949.08.17 (Monte Perobolso, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1974.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.11.23

Priest of Lisboa (Portugal) (1974.06.23 – 2014.10.10)

Coadjutor Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (2014.10.10 – 2016.11.03)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (2016.11.03 – 2024.03.21)

Bishop António Vitalino Fernandes Dantas, O. Carm. (84)
(1999.01.25 – 2016.11.03)

Bishop emeritus of Beja (Portugal)

Entrego-me pela causa do senhor

Born:	1941.11.03 (Barros, Vila Verde, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1968.08.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.09.29

Titular Bishop of Tlos (1996.07.03 – 1999.01.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lisboa (Portugal) (1996.07.03 – 1999.01.25)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1999.01.25 – 2016.11.03)

Bishop Manuel Franco da Costa de Oliveira Falcão
(1980.09.08 – 1999.01.25)

Born:	1922.11.10 (Lisboa, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1951.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.01.22
Died:	2012.02.21 († 89)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lisboa (Portugal) (1966.12.06 – 1974.10.24)

Titular Bishop of Thelepte (1966.12.06 – 1980.09.08)

Coadjutor Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1974 – 1980.09.08)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1980.09.08 – 1999.01.25)

Archbishop Manuel dos Santos Rocha
(1965.12.14 – 1980.09.08)

Born:	1905.04.22 (Tocantins, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1927.11.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.06.29
Died:	1983.02.16 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Priene (1949.03.14 – 1956.03.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lisboa (Portugal) (1949.03.14 – 1965.12.14)

Titular Archbishop of Mitylene (1956.03.23 – 1965.12.14)

Archbishop-Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1965.12.14 – 1980.09.08)

Bishop José del Patrocinio Dias
(1920.12.16 – 1965.10.24)

Born:	1884.07.23 (Covilhã, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1907.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1921.06.03
Died:	1965.10.24 († 81)

Priest of Guarda (Portugal) (1907.12.21 – 1920.12.16)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1920.12.16 – 1965.10.24)

Bishop Sebastião Leite de Vasconcellos (later Archbishop)
(1907.12.19 – 1919.12.15)

Born:	1852.05.03 (Porto, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1874.11.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1908.02.02
Died:	1923.01.29 († 70)

Priest of Porto (Portugal) (1874.11.15 – 1907.12.19)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1907.12.19 – 1919.12.15)

Titular Archbishop of Tamiathis (1919.12.15 – 1923.01.29)

Bishop António Xavier de Souza Monteiro
(1883.08.09 – 1906.06.01)

Born:	1829.11.09 (Lisboa, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1858.07.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1883.11.25
Died:	1906.06.01 († 76)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1883.08.09 – 1906.06.01)

Bishop António da Trindade de Vasconcellos Pereira de Mello
(1861.03.18 – 1863.10.01)

Born:	1812.08.28 (Santa Christina de Figueiró, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1844.12.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1861.05.26
Died:	1895.12.06 († 83)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1861.03.18 – 1863.10.01)

Bishop of Lamego (Portugal) (1863.10.01 – 1895.12.06)

Bishop José António da Mata e Silva (later Archbishop)
(1859.02.01 – 1860.04.19)

Born:	1800.06.23 (Castelo Branco, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1825.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1859.10.16
Died:	1869.09.05 († 69)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1859.02.01 – 1860.04.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Évora (Portugal) (1860.04.19 – 1869.09.05)

Bishop José Xavier de Cerveira e Sousa
(1848.04.18 – 1859.01.07)

Born:	1797.11.27 (Mogofores, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1823.12.20
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 Manuel Pires de Azevedo Loureiro
(1844.01.22 – 1848.09.26)

Born:	1777.03.15 (Moreira de Santar, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1802.11.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1844.05.26
Died:	1848.09.26 († 71)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1844.01.22 – 1848.09.26)

Bishop Luís da Cunha de Abreu e Melo
(1820.08.28 – 1833.08.09)

Born:	1758.06.07 (Taveiro, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1782.08.11
Died:	1833.08.09 († 75)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1820.08.28 – 1833.08.09)

Fr. Manuel de Sousa Carvalho, M.I.
(1814.12.19 – 1814 not possessed)

Died:

1814

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1814.12.19 – 1814 not possessed)

Bishop Joaquim do Rosario Vieira, O.F.M.
(1807.08.03 – 1808.09.08)

Born:	1746.09.16 (Ourem, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1770.12.27
Died:	1808.09.08 († 61)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1807.08.03 – 1808.09.08)

Bishop Francisco Leitão de Carvalho
(1802.08.09 – 1806.09.21)

Born:	1742.12.08 (Lamego, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1765.03.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1802.11.14
Died:	1806.09.21 († 63)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1802.08.09 – 1806.09.21)

Bishop Manuel do Cenáculo Vilas Boas, T.O.R. (later Archbishop)
(1770.03.05 – 1802.03.03)

Born:	1724.03.02 (Lisboa, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1747.04.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1770.10.28
Died:	1814.01.26 († 89)

Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1770.03.05 – 1802.03.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Évora (Portugal) (1802.03.03 – 1814.01.26)

Bishops of Pax Iulia (Roman Rite)

Bishop Isidoro Pacense
(? – ?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (? – ?)

Bishop João
(681? – 693?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (681? – 693?)

Bishop Adeodato
(653? – 666?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (653? – 666?)

Bishop Teodoreto
(646? – ?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (646? – ?)

Bishop Modário
(633? – ?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (633? – ?)

Bishop Lauro
(597? – ?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (597? – ?)

Bishop Palmácio
(589? – ?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (589? – ?)

Saint Bishop Apríngio
(531? – ?)

Bishop of Pax Iulia (Portugal) (531? – ?)

Bishop.

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop José dos Santos Marcos (76) (2014.10.10 – 2016.11.03)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Manuel Franco da Costa de Oliveira Falcão (1974 – 1980.09.08)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop António Cardoso Cunha (1956.03.09 – 1965)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sé Catedral de São Tiago Maior, Beja, Beja
Former Cathedral: Igreja São Salvador e São Sizenando, Beja, Beja

Churches by City (134)

Évora (↑), Mérida–Badajoz (↗), Huelva (↘), Faro (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 12,300 km²

Population: 173,125 Catholics (81.8% of 211,540 total)

Pastoral Centres: 121 parishes, 5 missions

Personnel: 51 priests (43 diocesan, 8 religious), 13 deacons, 39 religious (8 brothers, 31 sisters), 5 seminarians