Metropolitan Archdiocese of Natal, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Natal / Natalen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Caicó, Mossoró

Neighbouring Dioceses: Campina Grande (↙), Caicó (↙), Mossoró (←), Paraíba (↓), Guarabira (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Apresentação (November 21)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: November 21 (1988)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1909.12.29: Established as Diocese of Natal / Natalen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Paraíba and became suffragan of São Salvador da Bahia)
1910.12.05: Became suffragan of Olinda
1914.02.06: Became suffragan of Paraíba
1934.07.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Mossoró
1939.11.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Caicó
1952.02.16: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Natal / Natalen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Caicó and Mossoró)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1991.10)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2023.07.05 – ...):	Archbishop João Santos Cardoso (64)
Auxiliary Bishop (2026.02.12 – ...):	Bishop José Silvio de Brito (55) Titular Bishop of Menefessi

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Natal (Roman Rite)

Archbishop João Santos Cardoso (64)
(2023.07.05 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil)

In eo qui me confortat

Born:	1961.12.03 (Boa Nova, BA, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1986.12.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.02.12

Priest of Vitória da Conquista (Brazil) (1986.12.27 – 2011.12.14)

Bishop of São Raimundo Nonato (Brazil) (2011.12.14 – 2015.06.24)

Bishop of Bom Jesus da Lapa (Brazil) (2015.06.24 – 2023.07.05)

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

Archbishop Jaime Vieira Rocha (79)
(2011.12.21 – 2023.07.05)

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)

Archbishop Matias Patrício de Macêdo (90)
(2003.11.26 – 2011.12.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Natal (Brazil)

Todos tenham Vida

Born:	1936.04.14 (Santana do Matos, RN, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1963.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.10.21

Priest of Natal (Brazil) (1963.07.14 – 1990.07.12)

Bishop of Cajazeiras (Brazil) (1990.07.12 – 2000.07.12)

Coadjutor Bishop of Campina Grande (Brazil) (2000.07.12 – 2001.08.29)

Bishop of Campina Grande (Brazil) (2001.08.29 – 2003.11.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil) (2003.11.26 – 2011.12.21)

Archbishop Heitor de Araújo Sales (99)
(1993.10.27 – 2003.11.26)

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)

Archbishop Alair Vilar Fernandes de Melo
(1988.04.06 – 1993.10.27)

Evangelisare misit me

Born:	1916.06.05 (Natal, RN, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1939.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.05.17
Died:	1999.08.20 (Natal, RN, Brazil † 83)

Bishop of Amargosa (Brazil) (1970.03.17 – 1988.04.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil) (1988.04.06 – 1993.10.27)

Archbishop Nivaldo Monte
(1967.09.06 – 1988.04.06)

Mihi vivere est Christus

Born:	1918.03.15 (Natal, RN, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1942.01.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.07.21
Died:	2006.11.10 (Natal, RN, Brazil † 88)

Priest of Natal (Brazil) (1942.01.12 – 1963.04.25)

Titular Bishop of Eluza (1963.04.25 – 1967.09.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Aracaju (Brazil) (1963.04.25 – 1967.09.06)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Natal (Brazil) (1965 – 1967.09.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil) (1967.09.06 – 1988.04.06)

Bishop Nivaldo Monte (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 1965 – 1967.09.06)

Bishop Eugênio de Araújo Sales (later Cardinal)
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 1961 – 1965)

Archbishop Marcolino Esmeraldo de Souza Dantas
(1952.02.16 – 1967.04.08)

Born:	1888.01.22 (Inhambupe, BA, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1910.10.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.05.19
Died:	1967.04.08 (Natal, RN, Brazil † 79)

Bishop of Natal (Brazil) (1929.03.01 – 1952.02.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Natal (Brazil) (1952.02.16 – 1967.04.08)

Bishops of Natal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Marcolino Esmeraldo de Souza Dantas (later Archbishop)
(1929.03.01 – 1952.02.16)

(see above)

Bishop José Pereira Alves
(1922.10.27 – 1928.01.27)

In finem dilexit

Born:	1885.03.05 (Palmares, PE, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1907.11.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.03.04
Died:	1947.12.21 (Niterói, RJ, Brazil † 62)

Priest of Olinda e Recife (Brazil) (1907.11.17 – 1922.10.27)

Bishop of Natal (Brazil) (1922.10.27 – 1928.01.27)

Bishop of Niterói (Brazil) (1928.01.27 – 1947.12.21)

Bishop Antônio dos Santos Cabral (later Archbishop)
(1917.09.01 – 1921.11.21)

Per eucharistiam vivat in nobis Christus

Born:	1884.10.08 (Propriá, SE, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1907.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1918.04.14
Died:	1967.11.15 (Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil † 83)

Priest of Propriá (Brazil) (1907.11.01 – 1917.09.01)

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)

Bishop Joaquim Antônio d’Almeida
(1910.10.23 – 1915.06.14)

Born:	1868.08.17 (Goianinha, RN, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1894.12.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1906.02.04
Died:	1947.04.01 (Macaíba, RN, Brazil † 78)

Bishop of Piaui (Brazil) (1905.12.14 – 1910.10.23)

Bishop of Natal (Brazil) (1910.10.23 – 1915.06.14)

Titular Bishop of Lares (1915.06.14 – 1947.04.01)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antônio Soares Costa (1971.11.25 – 1993.10.27)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Eugênio de Araújo Sales (later Cardinal) (1954.06.01 – 1968.10.29)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora da Apresentação, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Former Cathedral: Antiga Catedral Nossa Senhora da Apresentação, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (118)

Campina Grande (↙), Caicó (↙), Mossoró (←), Paraíba (↓), Guarabira (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 25,153 km²

Population: 1,804,000 Catholics (80.0% of 2,254,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 117 parishes, 6 missions

Personnel: 192 priests (168 diocesan, 24 religious), 113 deacons, 198 religious (33 brothers, 165 sisters), 31 seminarians