Diocese of

São João del Rei

Brazil

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: São João del Rei / Sancti Ioannis a Rege (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Juiz de Fora

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint John the Baptist (June 24), Saint James Major (July 25)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1960.05.21: Established as Diocese of São João del Rei / Sancti Ioannis a Rege (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mariana, Diocese of Campanha and Diocese of Juiz de Fora and became suffragan of Mariana)
1962.04.14: Became suffragan of Juiz de Fora

Present Prelates

Bishop (2018.12.12 – ...):

Bishop José Eudes Campos do Nascimento (59)

Ordinaries

Bishops of São João del Rei (Roman Rite)

Bishop José Eudes Campos do Nascimento (59)
(2018.12.12 – ...)

Bishop of São João del Rei (Brazil)

Servus in caritate

Born:	1966.04.30 (Barbacena, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1995.04.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.09.15

Priest of Mariana (Brazil) (1995.04.22 – 2012.06.27)

Bishop of Leopoldina (Brazil) (2012.06.27 – 2018.12.12)

Bishop of São João del Rei (Brazil) (2018.12.12 – ...)

Bishop Célio de Oliveira Goulart, O.F.M.
(2010.05.26 – 2018.01.19)

Crux Dei Virtus Est

Born:	1944.09.14 (Piracema, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1969.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.08.28
Died:	2018.01.19 (Piracema São João del Rei, MG, Brazil † 73)

Bishop of Leopoldina (Brazil) (1998.06.24 – 2003.07.09)

Bishop of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim (Brazil) (2003.07.09 – 2010.05.26)

Bishop of São João del Rei (Brazil) (2010.05.26 – 2018.01.19)

Bishop Waldemar Chaves de Araújo (91)
(1996.06.26 – 2010.05.26)

Bishop emeritus of São João del Rei (Brazil)

Oportet obœdire Deo

Born:	1934.07.23 (Bom Despacho, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1962.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.02.03

Bishop of Teófilo Otoni (Brazil) (1989.11.18 – 1996.06.26)

Bishop of São João del Rei (Brazil) (1996.06.26 – 2010.05.26)

Bishop Antônio Carlos Mesquita
(1983.12.16 – 1996.06.26)

Elegit servum suum

Born:	1923.10.13 (Itapecerica, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1947.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.06.29
Died:	2005.12.19 († 82)

Titular Bishop of Tamada (1974.04.08 – 1977.03.06)

Coadjutor Bishop of Oliveira (Brazil) (1974.04.08 – 1977.03.06)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Oliveira (Brazil) (1974.04.08 – 1977.03.06)

Bishop of Oliveira (Brazil) (1977.03.06 – 1983.12.16)

Bishop of São João del Rei (Brazil) (1983.12.16 – 1996.06.26)

Bishop Delfim Ribeiro Guedes
(1960.07.23 – 1983.12.07)

Contra spem in spem

Born:	1908.05.02 (Maria da Fé, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1931.10.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1943.10.03
Died:	1985.02.23 († 76)

Bishop of Leopoldina (Brazil) (1943.06.26 – 1960.07.23)

Bishop of São João del Rei (Brazil) (1960.07.23 – 1983.12.07)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Catedral Basílica Nossa Sehora do Pilar, São João del Rei, Minas Gerais
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (46)

Campanha (↙), Oliveira (↖), Mariana (↗), Juiz de Fora (↘)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 9,503 km²

Population: 533,000 Catholics (85.0% of 627,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 42 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 76 priests (56 diocesan, 20 religious), 2 deacons, 115 religious (67 brothers, 48 sisters), 14 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.11.12

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