Diocese of Vila Real, Portugal

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Vila Real / Villaregalen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Braga

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Imaculada Conceição da Virgem Santa Maria (December 8)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: November 24

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1922.04.20: Established as Diocese of Vila Real / Villaregalen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Braga, Diocese of Bragança e Miranda and Diocese of Lamego and became suffragan of Braga)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.05.11 – ...):

Bishop António Augusto de Oliveira Azevedo (62)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Vila Real (Roman Rite)

Bishop António Augusto de Oliveira Azevedo (62)
(2019.05.11 – ...)

Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal)

Misericordia Domini cantabo

Born:	1962.06.14 (São Pedro de Avioso, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1986.07.13
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.03.19

Priest of Porto (Portugal) (1986.07.13 – 2016.01.09)

Titular Bishop of Cemerinianus (2016.01.09 – 2019.05.11)

Auxiliary Bishop of Porto (Portugal) (2016.01.09 – 2019.05.11)

Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (2019.05.11 – ...)

Bishop Amândio José Tomás (81)
(2011.05.17 – 2019.05.11)

Bishop emeritus of Vila Real (Portugal)

Cristo fonte de vida e esperança

Born:	1943.04.23 (Cimo da Vila da Castanheira, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1967.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2002.01.06

Priest of Vila Real (Portugal) (1967.08.15 – 2001.10.05)

Titular Bishop of Feradi maius (2001.10.05 – 2008.01.08)

Auxiliary Bishop of Évora (Portugal) (2001.10.05 – 2008.01.08)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (2008.01.08 – 2011.05.17)

Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (2011.05.17 – 2019.05.11)

Bishop Joaquim Gonçalves
(1991.01.19 – 2011.05.17)

Para que todos tenham vida

Born:	1936.05.17 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1960.07.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.10.18
Died:	2013.12.31 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Ursona (1981.08.03 – 1987.05.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Braga (Portugal) (1981.08.03 – 1987.05.19)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1987.05.19 – 1991.01.19)

Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1991.01.19 – 2011.05.17)

Bishop António Cardoso Cunha
(1967.01.10 – 1991.01.19)

Born:	1915.07.13 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1938.04.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.06.10
Died:	2004.06.13 († 88)

Auxiliary Bishop of Beja (Portugal) (1956.03.09 – 1965)

Titular Bishop of Baris in Pisidia (1956.03.09 – 1967.01.10)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1965 – 1967.01.10)

Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1967.01.10 – 1991.01.19)

Bishop António Valente da Fonseca
(1933.05.31 – 1967.01.10)

Born:	1884.11.19 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1907.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1932.02.21
Died:	1972.02.26 († 87)

Titular Bishop of Ceramus (1931.10.23 – 1933.05.31)

Auxiliary Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1931.10.23 – 1933.05.31)

Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1933.05.31 – 1967.01.10)

Titular Bishop of Agbia (1967.01.10 – 1971.01.27)

Archbishop João Evangelista de Lima Vidal
(1923.05.23 – 1933.05.31)

Filioli diligite alterutrum

Born:	1874.04.02 (Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1896.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1909.06.29
Died:	1958.01.05 († 83)

Bishop of São Paulo de Loanda (Angola) (1909.03.31 – 1915.12.09)

Titular Archbishop of Mytilene (1915.12.09 – 1923.05.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lisboa (Portugal) (1915.12.09 – 1923.05.23)

Archbishop-Bishop of Vila Real (Portugal) (1923.05.23 – 1933.05.31)

Founder of Portuguese Missionary Society (1930.10.03)

Titular Archbishop of Oxyrynchus (1933.05.31 – 1940.01.16)

Apostolic Administrator of Aveiro (Portugal) (1938.11.11 – 1940.01.16)

Archbishop-Bishop of Aveiro (Portugal) (1940.01.16 – 1958.01.05)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Amândio José Tomás (81) (2008.01.08 – 2011.05.17)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joaquim Gonçalves (1987.05.19 – 1991.01.19)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop António Cardoso Cunha (1965 – 1967.01.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop António de Castro Xavier Monteiro (later Archbishop) (1964.02.22 – 1966.02.03)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop António Valente da Fonseca (1931.10.23 – 1933.05.31)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sé Catedral de São Domingos, Vila Real, Vila Real

Churches by City (316)

Porto (↙), Braga (↖), Ourense (↑), Bragança–Miranda (→), Lamego (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 4,273 km²

Population: 164,960 Catholics (88.7% of 185,900 total)

Pastoral Centres: 264 parishes, 108 missions

Personnel: 118 priests (107 diocesan, 11 religious), 2 deacons, 63 religious (11 brothers, 52 sisters), 10 seminarians