Diocese of Nova Friburgo, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Nova Friburgo / Neo-Friburgen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Niterói

Neighbouring Dioceses: Niterói (↙), Petrópolis (←), Juiz de Fora (↖), Leopoldina (↑), Campos (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Imaculada Conceição (December 8)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1960.03.26: Established as Diocese of Nova Friburgo / Neo-Friburgen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Campos, Diocese of Niterói and Diocese of Valença and became suffragan of Niterói)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.07.02 – ...):

Bishop Pedro Cunha Cruz (61)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Nova Friburgo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pedro Cunha Cruz (61)
(2025.07.02 – ...)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil)

Servus Jesu Christi

Born:	1964.06.16 (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1990.08.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.02.05

Priest of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (1990.08.04 – 2010.11.24)

Titular Bishop of Agbia (2010.11.24 – 2015.05.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (2010.11.24 – 2015.05.20)

Coadjutor Bishop of Campanha (Brazil) (2015.05.20 – 2015.11.25)

Bishop of Campanha (Brazil) (2015.11.25 – 2025.07.02)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (2025.07.02 – ...)

Bishop Luiz Antônio Lopes Ricci (59)
(2020.05.06 – 2025.02.25)

Bishop of Itapetininga (Brazil)

Fecit mihi magna

Born:	1966.05.16 (Bauru, SP, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1997.07.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.07.16

Priest of Bauru (Brazil) (1997.07.10 – 2017.05.10)

Titular Bishop of Tindari (2017.05.10 – 2020.05.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Niterói (Brazil) (2017.05.10 – 2020.05.06)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (2020.05.06 – 2025.02.25)

Bishop of Itapetininga (Brazil) (2025.02.25 – ...)

Bishop Paulo Antônio de Conto (83)
(Apostolic Administrator 2020.01.22 – 2020.05.06)

Bishop Edney Gouvêa Mattoso (69)
(2010.01.20 – 2020.01.22)

Bishop emeritus of Nova Friburgo (Brazil)

Fiat voluntas tua

Born:	1957.02.02 (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1987.08.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.03.12

Priest of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (1987.08.29 – 2005.01.12)

Titular Bishop of Tunnuna (2005.01.12 – 2010.01.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (2005.01.12 – 2010.01.20)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (2010.01.20 – 2020.01.22)

Bishop Rafael Llano Cifuentes, Opus Dei
(2004.05.12 – 2010.01.20)

Omnia Traham ad Meipsum

Born:	1933.02.18 (México, Mexico)
Ordained Priest:	1959.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.06.29
Died:	2017.11.28 (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil † 84)

Titular Bishop of Mades (1990.04.04 – 2004.05.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (1990.04.04 – 2004.05.12)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (2004.05.12 – 2010.01.20)

Bishop Alano Maria Pena, O.P. (90) (later Archbishop)
(1993.11.24 – 2003.09.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Niterói (Brazil)

Ut unum Sint

Born:	1935.10.07 (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1961.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.05.25

Auxiliary Bishop of Belém do Pará (Brazil) (1975.04.07 – 1976.07.14)

Titular Bishop of Vardimissa (1975.04.07 – 1978.05.26)

Coadjutor Bishop-Prelate of Marabá (Brazil) (1976.07.14 – 1976.11.10)

Bishop-Prelate of Marabá (Brazil) (1976.11.10 – 1979.10.16)

Bishop of Marabá (Brazil) (1979.10.16 – 1985.07.11)

Bishop of Itapeva (Brazil) (1985.07.11 – 1993.11.24)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (1993.11.24 – 2003.09.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Niterói (Brazil) (2003.09.24 – 2011.11.30)

Bishop Clemente José Carlos de Gouvea Isnard, O.S.B.
(1960.04.23 – 1992.07.17)

Te Pastorem Sequens

Born:	1917.07.08 (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1942.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.07.25
Died:	2011.08.24 (Recife, PE, Brazil † 94)

Bishop of Nova Friburgo (Brazil) (1960.04.23 – 1992.07.17)

Vice-President of National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (1979 – 1983)

Second Vice-President of Latin American Episcopal Council (1983 – 1987)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral São João Batista, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

Churches by City (61)

Niterói (↙), Petrópolis (←), Juiz de Fora (↖), Leopoldina (↑), Campos (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,819 km²

Population: 716,300 Catholics (73.8% of 970,400 total)

Pastoral Centres: 60 parishes, 8 missions

Personnel: 80 priests (68 diocesan, 12 religious), 18 deacons, 99 religious (29 brothers, 70 sisters), 24 seminarians