Diocese of Funchal


The Diocese of Funchal is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or patriarchal archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It was originally created on 12 June 1514 by the papal bull Pro excellenti præeminentia from Pope Leo X, following the elevation of Funchal from a village to the status of city, by King Manuel I of Portugal. The diocese was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.
Before the issuance of the papal bull, between 1433 and 1514 the civil and religious administrations were in charge of the Grand-Master of the Order of Christ. In fact all Portuguese Atlantic territories were under the jurisdiction of Order of Christ, until the situation changed in 1514 with the creation of the Diocese.
Once the diocese was created, the bishop of Funchal had jurisdiction over the entire area occupied by the Portuguese in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Thus, the Diocese comprised not only the Islands of Madeira, but all the territories discovered or to be discovered by the Portuguese. Thus, its jurisdiction extended throughout the western and eastern African territory, Brazil and Asia. Given its jurisdiction extent, the diocese's first bishop, D. Diogo Pinheiro used the title of Primate.
Nineteen years later, on 31 January 1533, the diocese was elevated to archiepiscopal rank. For twenty-two years it was, geographically, the largest metropolitan ecclesiastical province in the world, having as suffragan dioceses: Azores, Brazil, Africa and Goa. The first Archbishop was D. Martinho of Portugal, also held the title of Primate.
Following the Portuguese Empire's economic and social developments, new dioceses were created in 1534, whose areas were detached from the Diocese of Funchal: Goa and Daman|Goa], Angra, Santiago and Roman Catholic [Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe|São Tome], São Salvador da Bahia. Later, on January 31, 1533, the Diocese of Funchal was elevated to the category of metropolitan and primate. In 1551 Pope Julius III revoked the situation by passing Funchal to the simple suffrage bishopric of the Archdiocese of Lisbon, as it remains today.
The first bishop to visit the diocese was D. Ambrósio Brandão, in 1538, on behalf of the diocesan bishop D. Martinho of Portugal. After the death of D. Martinho de Portugal, the only archbishop of Funchal, the cathedral remained vacant until 1551. One year later, in 1552, Fr. Gaspar do Casal, who did not reside on the island, was appointed, and the most salient fact of his action was his participation in the Council of Trent. His successors, D. Jorge de Lemos, D. Jerónimo Barreto and D. Luís Figueiredo de Lemos, applied the Council and were the true workers of this reform.
The first bishop of Funchal to actually reside, full-time, after his appointment was D. Jorge de Lemos, in 1558.
Throughout its more than five centuries of history the diocese has only be headed by two Madeirans so far: D. Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos, who would then become Archbishop of Goa, and D. Teodoro de Faria.
Until the 20th century, the bishops of Funchal used the title of Bishop of Madeira, of Porto Santo, of Desertas and of Arguim. The seat of the Diocese of Funchal is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption.
On 8 March 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed António Carrilho as Bishop of Funchal, until then Auxiliary Bishop of Porto. Together with Cardinal Fernando Filoni, António III, presided over the celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the diocese on 17 May 2014.
The current bishop of Funchal is Nuno I, who took office on February 17, 2019.

Administrative divisions

The diocese is currently organized into seven Archpriestships, which themselves are subdivided into a total of 96 parishes.
ArchpriestshipsParishesPatron
FunchalÁlamosSaint John the Baptist
FunchalBom SucessoOur Lady of the Good Event
FunchalCoração de JesusSacred Heart of Jesus
FunchalCurral das FreirasOur Lady of Deliverance
FunchalEspírito SantoHoly Ghost
FunchalFátimaOur Lady of Fátima
FunchalGraçaOur Lady of Grace
FunchalImaculado Coração de MariaImmaculate Heart of Mary
FunchalLivramentoOur Lady of Deliverance
FunchalNazaréOur Lady of Nazareth
FunchalNossa Senhora do MonteOur Lady of Monte
FunchalPiedadeOur Lady of Sorrows
FunchalRomeirosOur Lady of Queen of the World
FunchalSagrade FamilyHoly Family
FunchalSanta LuziaSaint Lucy
FunchalSanta Maria MaiorSaint James the Less
FunchalSanto AmaroSaint Amaro
FunchalSanto AntónioSaint Anthony of Lisbon and Padua
FunchalSão GonçaloSaint Gundisalvus of Amarante
FunchalSão JoséSaint Joseph
FunchalSão MartinhoSaint Martin of Tours
FunchalSão PedroSaint Peter
FunchalSão RoqueSaint Roch
FunchalSéOur Lady of Assumption
FunchalVisitaçãoOur Lady of Visitation
FunchalVitória e Santa RitaOur Lady of Victory and Saint Rita
FunchalIgreja do ColégioSaint John the Evangelist
Porto SantoPiedadeOur Lady of Sorrows
Porto SantoEspiríto SantoHoly Ghost
Câmara de LobosCâmara de LobosSaint Sebastian
Câmara de LobosCarmoOur Lady of Mount Carmel
Câmara de LobosEncarnaçãoOur Lady of Incarnation
Câmara de LobosEstreito de Câmara de LobosOur Lady of Grace
Câmara de LobosGarachicoOur Lady of the Good Event
Câmara de LobosQuinta GrandeOur Lady of Remedies
Câmara de LobosSanta CecíliaSaint Cecilia
Câmara de LobosSão TiagoSaint James the Less
SantanaArco de São JorgeSaint Joseph
SantanaFaialOur Lady of the Nativity
SantanaIlhaOur Lady of the Rosary
SantanaPorto da CruzOur Lady of Guadalupe
SantanaSantanaSaint Anne
SantanaSão JorgeSaint George
SantanaSão Roque do FaialSaint Roch
Santa Cruz and MachicoAchadaOur Lady of Grace
Santa Cruz and MachicoÁgua de PenaSaint Beatrix
Santa Cruz and MachicoAssomadaOur Lady of Sorrows
Santa Cruz and MachicoBom CaminhoOur Lady of the Good Path
Santa Cruz and MachicoCamachaSaint Lawrence
Santa Cruz and MachicoCaniçalSaint Sebastian
Santa Cruz and MachicoCaniçoHoly Ghost and Saint Anthony the Great
Santa Cruz and MachicoEirasOur Lady of Peace
Santa Cruz and MachicoGaulaOur Lady of Light
Santa Cruz and MachicoJoão FerinoOur Lady of Health
Santa Cruz and MachicoLombadaOur Lady of Fátima
Santa Cruz and MachicoMachicoImmaculate Conception
Santa Cruz and MachicoPiquinhoSaint Joseph
Santa Cruz and MachicoPrecesOur Lady of Prayers
Santa Cruz and MachicoRibeira SecaOur Lady of Amparo
Santa Cruz and MachicoRochãoOur Lady of Mount Carmel
Santa Cruz and MachicoSanta CruzSaint Salvador
Santa Cruz and MachicoSanto da SerraSaint Anthony of Lisbon and Padua
Ribeira BravaCampanárioSaint Blaise
Ribeira BravaCanhasOur Lady of Piety
Ribeira BravaCarvalhalOur Lady of Fátima
Ribeira BravaConceiçãoImmaculate Conception
Ribeira BravaCristo ReiChrist the King
Ribeira BravaMadalena do MarMary Magdalene
Ribeira BravaPonta do SolOur Lady of Light
Ribeira BravaRibeira BravaSaint Benedict
Ribeira BravaSão JoãoSaint Jonh the Baptist
Ribeira BravaSão PauloSaint Paul
Ribeira BravaSerra de ÁguaOur Lady of Help
Ribeira BravaTabuaHoly Trinity
CalhetaAmparoOur Lady of Amparo
CalhetaArco da CalhetaSaint Blaise
CalhetaAtouguiaSaint Jonh the Baptist
CalhetaCalhetaHoly Ghost
CalhetaEstreito da CalhetaOur Lady of Grace
CalhetaFajã da OvelhaSaint Jonh the Baptist
CalhetaJardim do MarOur Lady of the Rosary
CalhetaLoretoOur Lady of Loreto
CalhetaPaul do MarSaint Amaro
CalhetaPonta do PargoSaint Peter
CalhetaPrazeresOur Lady of Snow
CalhetaRaposeiraSaint Anthony of Lisbon and Padua
CalhetaSão Francisco XavierSaint Francis Xavier
São Vicente and Porto MonizAchadas da CruzOur Lady of Livramento
São Vicente and Porto MonizBoaventuraSaint Quiteria
São Vicente and Porto MonizFajã do PenedoImmaculate Heart of Mary
São Vicente and Porto MonizFeiteirasOur Lady of Peace
São Vicente and Porto MonizLameirosOur Lady of Health
São Vicente and Porto MonizPonta DelgadaOur Lord Good Jesus
São Vicente and Porto MonizPorto MonizImmaculate Conception
São Vicente and Porto MonizRibeira da JanelaOur Lady of Incarnation
São Vicente and Porto MonizRosárioOur Lady of the Rosary
São Vicente and Porto MonizSantaMary Magdalene
São Vicente and Porto MonizSão VicenteSaint Vincent
São Vicente and Porto MonizSeixalSaint Anthony the Great

Choice of Patron Saint

was chosen as Patron Saint of the Diocese time when Funchal faced various periods of plague in the 16th century.
In 1521, a severe plague spread throughout the city. Although local authorities, at the time, had sought to isolate the sick in order to control the plague outbreak, the efforts made seemed to be vain.
Gaspar Frutuoso, in his book Saudades da Terra accounts that "the city's Chapter and Senate resolved to choose by random ballot a patron saint among the Apostles... After having prayed before God, a boy named John picked a note, where the name of James Minor was written, and they soon rejoiced all over the city."
Two years later, the civil authorities and the Dean of the Chapter met again in Funchal's Cathedral and confirmed the choice made of St. James Minor as their patron, with the commitment to celebrate him every year in his chapel with mass and procession in the Cathedral first day of May.

Schools

The diocese directly runs one higher education institution, one theological school and several other schools on the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

Municipality of Funchal

Higher Education

  • Superior School for Nursing José de Cluny

Religious Education

  • Theological School of Funchal

Schools and High Schools

Other Municipalities

Schools and High Schools

Culture

Sacred Art Museum of Funchal

The Sacred Art Museum of Funchal, run by the diocese is housed in the former Episcopal Palace, founded by D. Luís Figueiredo de Lemos in 1594. The building was designed by Jerónimo Jorge, Master of Royal Works, who worked in the conception and design of defenses of the city of Funchal. From the primitive building, a section still survives, on the current square of the Municipality and Rua do Bispo. Mannerist sobriety is clearly visible in the northern arch or in the Chapel of Saint Louis of Toulosa, which has an inscription on the façade with the name of its founder, D. Luís de Figueiredo Lemos and dated 1600. D. António Teles da Silva, Bishop of Funchal, carried out new improvement works, between 1675-1682.
With the visit of the Ajuda Palace's Curator Manuel Cayola Zagallo, the diocese became more and more aware of the importance of the Flemish Art collection it owned and that was spread throughout the churches and chapels of its territory. With the unequivocal support from the diocese and the public entities of the time, the identified works were sent to be restore in Lisbon.
After important conservation and restoration work by Fernando Mardel, the paintings were exhibited in Lisbon at the National Museum of Ancient Art in 1949. They would later integrate the Funchal Museum of Sacred Art, inaugurated in 1955. To this set were added other works, especially of Goldsmithing, Ecclesiastic Garments and Sculpture, mostly from Portuguese workshops, which were, in many cases out of worship and in poor condition, in many churches of the diocese, and which became part of the Museum's collections. The Museum's collection include works attributed to painter such as Gerard David, Dieric Bouts, Joos Van Cleve, Jan Provoost and Pieter de Coeck Van Aelst.

Madeira Organ Festival

Together with the Regional Government of Madeira the diocese promotes, by allowing its churches to act as concert venues, for the island's Organ Festival. This festival is usually organized in a set of twelve concerts, headlined by nationally and internationally renowned Master Organ players.

Media

The diocese of Funchal runs a radio station, that broadcasts the news from Rádio Renascença, and an online newspaper.

Other affiliated bishops

Coadjutor bishop

Auxiliary bishop

Other priests of this diocese who became Cardinals

Coat of Arms

On March 23, 2019, the Diocese announced through its Facebook page and on a historical note on its website its coat of arms. The arms were designed by Miguel Pinto-Correia following the economist's open letter to the Bishop published in the regional newspaper, suggesting that the Diocese should adopt a coat of arms on 600th anniversary of the discovery of Madeira.