Diocese of Caicó, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Caicó / Caicoën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Natal

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Anne (July 26)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1939.11.25: Established as Diocese of Caicó / Caicoën(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Natal and became suffragan of Paraíba)
1952.02.16: Became suffragan of Natal

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.02.14 – ...):

Bishop Antônio Ranis Rosendo Dos Santos, C.SS.R. (52)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Caicó (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antônio Ranis Rosendo Dos Santos, C.SS.R. (52)
(2025.02.14 – ...)

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil)

Cor unum et anima una

Born:	1973.09.03 (Porto da Folha, SE, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	2006.06.16
Consecrated Bishop:	2025.05.17

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (2025.02.14 – ...)

Bishop Antônio Carlos Cruz Santos, M.S.C. (64)
(2014.02.12 – 2024.04.24)

Bishop of Petrolina (Brazil)

Olharão para aquele que transpassaran

Born:	1961.11.25 (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1992.12.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.05.10

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (2014.02.12 – 2024.04.24)

Bishop of Petrolina (Brazil) (2024.04.24 – ...)

Bishop Manoel Delson Pedreira da Cruz, O.F.M. Cap. (71) (later Archbishop)
(2006.07.05 – 2012.08.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Paraíba (Brazil)

Ide aos meus irmãos

Born:	1954.07.10 (Biritinga, BA, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1980.07.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.09.24

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (2006.07.05 – 2012.08.08)

Bishop of Campina Grande (Brazil) (2012.08.08 – 2017.03.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Paraíba (Brazil) (2017.03.08 – ...)

Bishop Jaime Vieira Rocha (78) (later Archbishop)
(1995.11.29 – 2005.02.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Natal (Brazil)

Scio cui credidi

Born:	1947.03.30 (Tangará, MT, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1975.02.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.01.06

Priest of Natal (Brazil) (1975.02.01 – 1995.11.29)

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (1995.11.29 – 2005.02.16)

Bishop of Campina Grande (Brazil) (2005.02.16 – 2011.12.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil) (2011.12.21 – 2023.07.05)

Bishop Heitor de Araújo Sales (99) (later Archbishop)
(1978.05.05 – 1993.10.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Natal (Brazil)

Unitate Pace Gaudio

Born:	1926.07.29 (São José de Mipibu, RN, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1950.12.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.07.16

Priest of Caicó (Brazil) (1950.12.03 – 1978.05.05)

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (1978.05.05 – 1993.10.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil) (1993.10.27 – 2003.11.26)

Bishop Manuel Tavares de Araújo
(1959.01.08 – 1978.03.29)

In omnibus Christus

Born:	1912.07.07 (São José de Mipibu, RN, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1936.10.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.04.05
Died:	2006.02.17 (Natal, RN, Brazil † 93)

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (1959.01.08 – 1978.03.29)

Bishop José Adelino Dantas
(1952.06.10 – 1958.05.03)

In finem dilexit

Born:	1910.03.17 (São Vicente, SP, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1934.11.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1952.09.14
Died:	1983.03.24 († 73)

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (1952.06.10 – 1958.05.03)

Bishop of Garanhuns (Brazil) (1958.05.03 – 1967.02.20)

Bishop of Ruy Barbosa (Brazil) (1967.02.20 – 1975.10.04)

Bishop José de Medeiros Delgado (later Archbishop)
(1941.03.15 – 1951.09.04)

Ita pater

Born:	1905.07.28 (Pombal, PB, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1929.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1941.06.29
Died:	1988.03.09 († 82)

Bishop of Caicó (Brazil) (1941.03.15 – 1951.09.04)

Metropolitan Archbishop of São Luís do Maranhão (Brazil) (1951.09.04 – 1963.05.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Fortaleza (Brazil) (1963.05.10 – 1973.03.26)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Sant’Ana, Caicó, Rio Grande do Norte
Minor Basilica: Basílica Nossa Senhora da Guia, Acari, Rio Grande do Norte
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (36)

Cajazeiras (↙), Mossoró (↑), Natal (↗), Campina Grande (↘), Patos (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,221 km²

Population: 251,000 Catholics (88.9% of 282,258 total)

Pastoral Centres: 30 parishes, 133 missions

Personnel: 48 priests (46 diocesan, 2 religious), 43 deacons, 54 religious (4 brothers, 50 sisters), 14 seminarians