Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fortaleza

Archdiocese of Fortaleza Archidioecesis Fortalexiensis Arquidiocese de Fortaleza
File:Metropolitan Cathedral 3.jpg Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Joseph
Location
Country	Brazil
Ecclesiastical province	Fortaleza
Statistics
Area
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 3,487,000 2,466,000 (70.7%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	6 June 1854 (169 years ago)
Cathedral	Cathedral of St Joseph in Fortaleza
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	José Antônio Aparecido Tosi Marques
Auxiliary Bishops	Rosalvo Cordeiro de Lima José Luiz Gomes de Vasconcelos
Emeritus Bishops	Geraldo Nascimento Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Adalberto Paulo da Silva Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus
Website
www.arquidiocesedefortaleza.org.br

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fortaleza (Latin: Archidioecesis Fortalexiensis) is an archdiocese located in the city of Fortaleza in Brazil.

History

On June 6, 1854, it was established by Pope Pius IX, as the Diocese of Ceará from the Diocese of Olinda. Formerly a part of the Diocese of Pernambuco, the district was erected into a separate diocese, suffragan to the Archdiocese of Bahia. João Guerino Gomes was named as first bishop but did not accept the appointment. Father Gomes, who was famous in his day both as an orator and as a philosopher, died in 1859. The first bishop, Luis Antonio dos Santos, founded the diocesan seminaries at Fortaleza and Crato, and, for the education of girls, the College of the Immaculate Conception, besides building the church of the Sacred Heart at Fortaleza.

On November 10, 1915, it was promoted as the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Fortaleza.

Special churches

• Minor Basilicas:
  • Basílica São Francisco das Chagas, Canindé

Leadership

• Bishops of Ceará
  • Luís Antônio dos Santos (28 September 1860 – 13 March 1881)
  • Joaquim José Vieira (9 August 1883 – 14 September 1912)
  • Manoel da Silva Gomes (16 September 1912 – 10 November 1915)
• Archbishops of Fortaleza
  • Manoel da Silva Gomes (10 November 1915 – 24 May 1941)
  • Antônio de Almeida Lustosa, S.D.B. (19 July 1941 – 16 February 1963)
  • José de Medeiros Delgado (10 May 1963 – 26 March 1973)
  • Aloísio Lorscheider, O.F.M. (26 March 1973 – 12 July 1995)
  • Cláudio Hummes, O.F.M. (26 May 1996 – 15 April 1998)
  • José Antônio Aparecido Tosi Marques (13 January 1999 – present)

Suffragan dioceses

• Diocese of Crateús
• Diocese of Crato
• Diocese of Iguatu
• Diocese of Itapipoca
• Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte
• Diocese of Quixadá
• Diocese of Sobral
• Diocese of Tianguá

Sources

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy
• Archdiocese website (Portuguese)