Diocese of Rio Branco, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Rio Branco / Fluminis Albi Superioris (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Porto Velho

Neighbouring Dioceses: Puerto Maldonado (↙), Cruzeiro do Sul (↖), Lábrea (↗), Porto Velho (→), Pando (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Pellegrino Laziosi (May 4)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1919.10.04: Established as Territorial Prelature of Acre e Purus / Acren(sis) et Puruen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Amazonas and became suffragan of Belém do Pará)
1926.12.10: Renamed as Territorial Prelature of São Peregrino Laziosi no Alto Acre e Alto Purus / Sancti Peregrini Latiosi in Superioribus Acre et Purus (Latin)
1952.02.16: Became suffragan of Manaus
1958.04.26: Renamed as Territorial Prelature of Acre e Purus / Acren(sis) et Puruen(sis) (Latin)
1986.02.15: Promoted as Diocese of Rio Branco / Fluminis Albi Superioris (Latin)
2001.08.31: Became suffragan of Porto Velho

Present Prelates

Bishop:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2026.07.01 – ...):	Bishop Antônio Fontinele de Melo (58) Bishop of Humaitá (Brazil)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Rio Branco (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antônio Fontinele de Melo (58)
(Apostolic Administrator 2026.07.01 – ...)

Bishop Joaquín Pertíñez Fernández, O.A.R. (73)
(1999.02.24 – 2026.07.01)

Bishop emeritus of Rio Branco (Brazil)

Ad Majorem Dilectionem

Born:	1952.09.22 (Monachil, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1978.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.05.30

Bishop of Rio Branco (Brazil) (1999.02.24 – 2026.07.01)

Bishop Moacyr Grechi, O.S.M. (later Archbishop)
(1986.02.15 – 1998.07.29)

Born:	1936.01.19 (Araranguá, SC, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1961.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1973.10.21
Died:	2019.06.17 (Porto Velho, RO, Brazil † 83)

Bishop-Prelate of Acre e Purus (Brazil) (1972.07.10 – 1986.02.15)

Titular Bishop of Vegesela in Numidia (1973.07.20 – 1978.05.26)

Bishop of Rio Branco (Brazil) (1986.02.15 – 1998.07.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Porto Velho (Brazil) (1998.07.29 – 2011.11.30)

Prelates of Acre e Purus (Roman Rite)

Bishop Moacyr Grechi, O.S.M. (later Archbishop)
(1972.07.10 – 1986.02.15)

(see above)

Bishop Giocondo María Grotti, O.S.M.
(1962.11.16 – 1971.09.28)

Born:	1928.03.13 (Pieve di Budrio, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1952.06.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.08.22
Died:	1971.09.28 (Sena Madureira, AC, Brazil † 43)

Bishop-Prelate of Acre e Purus (Brazil) (1962.11.16 – 1971.09.28)

Titular Bishop of Thunigaba (1965.07.08 – 1971.09.28)

Bishop Antônio Julio María Mattioli, S.M.
(1958.04.26 – 1962.04.13)

Born:	1902.07.20 (Serra Capanne, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1925.08.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1948.07.25
Died:	1962.04.13 († 59)

Apostolic Administrator of São Peregrino Laziosi no Alto Acre e Alto Purus (Brazil) (1941 – 1948.01.10)

Bishop-Prelate of São Peregrino Laziosi no Alto Acre e Alto Purus (Brazil) (1948.01.10 – 1958.04.26)

Titular Bishop of Lacedæmonia (1948.01.10 – 1962.04.13)

Bishop-Prelate of Acre e Purus (Brazil) (1958.04.26 – 1962.04.13)

Prelates of São Peregrino Laziosi no Alto Acre e Alto Purus (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antônio Julio María Mattioli, S.M.
(1948.01.10 – 1958.04.26)

(see above)

Fr. Antônio Julio María Mattioli, S.M. (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1941 – 1948.01.10)

Bishop Próspero Maria Gustavo Bernardi, O.S.M.
(1926.12.10 – 1940)

Born:	1870.12.13 (Bologna, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1894.05.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1920.01.11
Died:	1944.02.01 († 73)

Bishop-Prelate of Acre e Purus (Brazil) (1919.12.15 – 1926.12.10)

Titular Bishop of Paltus (1919.12.15 – 1944.02.01)

Bishop-Prelate of São Peregrino Laziosi no Alto Acre e Alto Purus (Brazil) (1926.12.10 – 1940)

Prelates of Acre e Purus (Roman Rite)

Bishop Próspero Maria Gustavo Bernardi, O.S.M.
(1919.12.15 – 1926.12.10)

(see above)

Bishop Geraldo Van Caloen, O.S.B.
(1906.03.12 – 1907.12.13)

Born:	1853.03.12 (Lophem-lez-Bruges, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1876.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1906.04.18
Died:	1932.01.16 (Cap d’Antibes, France † 78)

Bishop-Prelate of Acre e Purus (Brazil) (1906.03.12 – 1907.12.13)

Titular Bishop of Phocæa (1906.03.12 – 1932.01.16)

Abbot nullius of Nossa Senhora do Monserrate do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (1907.12.13 – 1915.05.18)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, Rio Branco, Acre

Churches by City (41)

Puerto Maldonado (↙), Cruzeiro do Sul (↖), Lábrea (↗), Porto Velho (→), Pando (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 102,595 km²

Population: 502,500 Catholics (71.7% of 701,163 total)

Pastoral Centres: 43 parishes

Personnel: 41 priests (25 diocesan, 16 religious), 41 deacons, 82 religious (22 brothers, 60 sisters), 13 seminarians