Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Maria, Brazil

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Santa Maria / Sanctæ Mariæ (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Cachoeira do Sul, Cruz Alta, Santa Cruz do Sul, Santo Ângelo, Uruguaiana

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1910.08.15: Established as Diocese of Santa Maria / Sanctæ Mariæ (Latin) (from Diocese of São Pedro do Rio Grande and became suffragan of Porto Alegre)
1921.05.27: Exchanged territory with Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre and Diocese of Uruguaiana
1937.02.13: Lost territory to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre
1951.03.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Passo Fundo
1961.05.22: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Frederico Westphalen
1962.08.20: Gained territory from Diocese of Uruguaiana
1971.05.27: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Cruz Alta
1991.07.17: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Cachoeira do Sul
1997.12.12: Lost territory to Diocese of Bagé
2011.04.13: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Maria / Sanctæ Mariæ (Latin) (with suffragan sees Cachoeira do Sul, Cruz Alta, Santa Cruz do Sul, Santo Ângelo and Uruguaiana)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2021.06.02 – ...):

Archbishop Leomar Antônio Brustolin (57)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Santa Maria (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Leomar Antônio Brustolin (57)
(2021.06.02 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santa Maria (Brazil)

In verbo tuo

Born:	1967.08.15 (Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1992.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.03.25

Priest of Caxias do Sul (Brazil) (1992.12.20 – 2015.01.07)

Titular Bishop of Tigava (2015.01.07 – 2021.06.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil) (2015.01.07 – 2021.06.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (2021.06.02 – ...)

Archbishop Hélio Adelar Rubert (79)
(2011.04.13 – 2021.06.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Santa Maria (Brazil)

In caritate exemplum

Born:	1945.05.11 (Segredo, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1971.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.10.03

Priest of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1971.12.18 – 1999.08.04)

Titular Bishop of Flenucleta (1999.08.04 – 2004.03.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Vitória (Brazil) (1999.08.04 – 2004.03.24)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (2004.03.24 – 2011.04.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (2011.04.13 – 2021.06.02)

Apostolic Administrator of Cruz Alta (Brazil) (2014.06.11 – 2014.12.17)

Bishops of Santa Maria (Roman Rite)

Bishop Hélio Adelar Rubert (79) (later Archbishop)
(2004.03.24 – 2011.04.13)

(see above)

Bishop José Ivo Lorscheiter
(1974.02.05 – 2004.03.24)

Nova et vetera

Born:	1927.12.07 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1952.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.03.06
Died:	2007.03.05 († 79)

Titular Bishop of Tamada (1965.11.12 – 1974.02.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil) (1965.11.12 – 1974.02.05)

General Secretary of National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (1971 – 1979)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1974.02.05 – 2004.03.24)

President of National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (1979 – 1987)

Bishop Érico Ferrari
(1971.04.29 – 1973.04.29)

Serviamus cum lætitia

Born:	1928.03.20 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1951.10.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.06.26
Died:	1973.04.29 († 45)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1971.04.29 – 1973.04.29)

Bishop Luís Victor Sartori
(1960.09.14 – 1970.04.10)

In bonitate et justitia et veritate

Born:	1904.08.30 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1927.01.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1952.06.01
Died:	1970.04.10 († 65)

Bishop of Montes Claros (Brazil) (1952.03.04 – 1956.01.10)

Titular Bishop of Celerina (1956.01.10 – 1960.09.14)

Coadjutor Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1956.01.10 – 1960.09.14)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1960.09.14 – 1970.04.10)

Bishop Antônio Reis
(1931.07.31 – 1960.09.14)

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Born:	1885.10.28 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1910.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1931.12.13
Died:	1960.09.14 († 74)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1931.07.31 – 1960.09.14)

Bishop Ático Eusébio da Rocha (later Archbishop)
(1922.10.27 – 1928.12.17)

Mihi vivere Christus est

Born:	1882.03.10 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1905.08.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.04.15
Died:	1950.04.11 († 68)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1922.10.27 – 1928.12.17)

Bishop of Cafelândia (Brazil) (1928.12.17 – 1935.12.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Curitiba (Brazil) (1935.12.16 – 1950.04.11)

Bishop Miguel de Lima Valverde (later Archbishop)
(1911.02.06 – 1922.02.10)

Quis ut Deus

Born:	1872.09.29 (Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1895.03.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.10.29
Died:	1951.05.07 († 78)

Bishop of Santa Maria (Brazil) (1911.02.06 – 1922.02.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Olinda e Recife (Brazil) (1922.02.10 – 1951.05.07)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Luís Victor Sartori (1956.01.10 – 1960.09.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antônio do Carmo Cheuiche, O.C.D. (1969.04.02 – 1971.05.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Walmor Battú Wichrowski (1961.05.31 – 1965)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop João Cláudio Colling (later Archbishop) (1949.12.12 – 1951.03.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Metropolitana Imaculada Conceição, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul
Minor Basilica: Basílica Santuário Nossa Senhora Medianeira de Todas as Graças, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (42)

Uruguaiana (←), Cruz Alta (↑), Cachoeira do Sul (→), Bagé (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 20,263 km²

Population: 336,900 Catholics (77.6% of 434,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 40 parishes, 569 missions

Personnel: 72 priests (42 diocesan, 30 religious), 16 deacons, 413 religious (85 brothers, 328 sisters), 7 seminarians