Aracajú (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Josafá Menezes da Silva, Archbishop
João José da Costa, O. Carm., Archbishop Emeritus
José Palmeira Lessa, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 30 April 1960
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Sergipe
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 7,019 (2,711 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Nordeste 3
Official Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesedearacaju.org
Mailing Address: Curia Metropolitana, Praca Mons. Olimpio de Campos 228, 49010-040 Aracaju, SE, Brazil
Telephone: (079) 3216-3000

Historical Details

Diocese of Aracajú
- Latin Name: Aracaiuensis
- Erected: 3 January 1910
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Maceió
- Country: Brazil

Past and Present Ordinaries

José Tomas Gomes da Silva † (12 May 1911 Appointed - 31 Oct 1948 Died)
Fernando Gomes dos Santos † (1 Feb 1949 Appointed - 7 Mar 1957 Appointed, Archbishop of Goiânia, Goias)
José Vicente Távora † (20 Nov 1957 Appointed - 3 Apr 1970 Died)
Luciano José Cabral Duarte † (12 Feb 1971 Appointed - 26 Aug 1998 Resigned)
José Palmeira Lessa (26 Aug 1998 Succeeded - 18 Jan 2017 Retired)
João José da Costa, O. Carm. (18 Jan 2017 Succeeded - 19 Jul 2023 Resigned)
Josafá Menezes da Silva (13 Mar 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Aracajú
3 January 1910	Erected	Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia	Diocese of Aracajú (erected)
13 February 1920	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Aracajú (from São Salvador da Bahia)
30 April 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Aracajú (Propria, Amparo de São Francisco, Aquidabâ, Brejo Grande, Canhoba, Cedro de São João, Curituba, Garuru, Itabí, Jarapatuba, Japoatá, Malhada dos Bois, Monte Alegre de Sergipe, Muriceba, Neópolis, Nossa Senhora da Gloria, Pacatuba, Poco Redondo, ...)	Diocese of Propriá (erected)
30 April 1960	Territory Lost	Diocese of Aracajú (Estancia, Arauá, Buquim, Cristinapolis, Indiaroba, Itabaianinha, Lagarto, Pedrinhas, Poco Verde, Riachäo do Dantas, Salgado, Santa Luzia do Itanhi, Simâo Dias, Tobias Barreto, Tomar do Geru, and Umbaúba)	Diocese of Estância (erected)
Archdiocese of Aracajú
30 April 1960	Elevated	Diocese of Aracajú	Archdiocese of Aracajú

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Aracajú

1950 537,698 542,326 99.1% 50 16 66 8,146 16 105 42 ap1951

1958 700,000 900,000 77.8% 43 14 57 12,280 16 161 47 ap1960

Archdiocese of Aracajú

1966 450,000 .0% 44 22 66 0 21 160 27 ap1967*

1968 465,285 43 20 63 7,385 22 150 29 ap1971

1976 442,029 455,745 97.0% 29 14 43 10,279 25 185 27 ap1977

1977 432,000 456,100 94.7% 29 16 45 9,600 19 180 30 ap1981

1990 562,000 634,000 88.6% 33 13 46 12,217 13 186 37 ap1991

1999 739,631 963,598 76.8% 59 47 106 6,977 1 50 112 46 ap2000

2000 745,000 971,000 76.7% 46 18 64 11,640 2 22 185 60 ap2001

2001 813,000 1,059,916 76.7% 45 13 58 14,017 1 16 200 56 ap2002

2002 821,000 1,069,000 76.8% 49 16 65 12,630 1 19 200 58 ap2003

2003 845,000 1,098,000 77.0% 53 16 69 12,246 1 32 201 62 ap2004

2004 930,000 1,080,395 86.1% 63 20 83 11,204 2 37 150 68 ap2005

2006 988,321 1,108,086 89.2% 58 14 72 13,726 2 52 315 69 ap2007

2012 1,069,000 1,272,000 84.0% 110 25 135 7,918 22 33 208 88 ap2013

2015 1,095,000 1,303,000 84.0% 127 30 157 6,974 21 144 232 104 ap2016

2018 974,665 1,392,380 70.0% 121 38 159 6,129 40 138 212 110 ap2019

2020 1,004,576 1,435,108 70.0% 132 34 166 6,051 40 134 149 109 ap2021

2022 992,890 1,431,059 69.4% 133 133 7,465 38 100 176 112 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Aracajú
1950	537,698	542,326	99.1%	50	16	66	8,146		16	105	42	ap1951
1958	700,000	900,000	77.8%	43	14	57	12,280		16	161	47	ap1960
Archdiocese of Aracajú
1966		450,000	.0%	44	22	66	0		21	160	27	ap1967*
1968	465,285			43	20	63	7,385		22	150	29	ap1971
1976	442,029	455,745	97.0%	29	14	43	10,279		25	185	27	ap1977
1977	432,000	456,100	94.7%	29	16	45	9,600		19	180	30	ap1981
1990	562,000	634,000	88.6%	33	13	46	12,217		13	186	37	ap1991
1999	739,631	963,598	76.8%	59	47	106	6,977	1	50	112	46	ap2000
2000	745,000	971,000	76.7%	46	18	64	11,640	2	22	185	60	ap2001
2001	813,000	1,059,916	76.7%	45	13	58	14,017	1	16	200	56	ap2002
2002	821,000	1,069,000	76.8%	49	16	65	12,630	1	19	200	58	ap2003
2003	845,000	1,098,000	77.0%	53	16	69	12,246	1	32	201	62	ap2004
2004	930,000	1,080,395	86.1%	63	20	83	11,204	2	37	150	68	ap2005
2006	988,321	1,108,086	89.2%	58	14	72	13,726	2	52	315	69	ap2007
2012	1,069,000	1,272,000	84.0%	110	25	135	7,918	22	33	208	88	ap2013
2015	1,095,000	1,303,000	84.0%	127	30	157	6,974	21	144	232	104	ap2016
2018	974,665	1,392,380	70.0%	121	38	159	6,129	40	138	212	110	ap2019
2020	1,004,576	1,435,108	70.0%	132	34	166	6,051	40	134	149	109	ap2021
2022	992,890	1,431,059	69.4%	133		133	7,465	38	100	176	112	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Vítor Agnaldo de Menezes (Apostolic Administrator: 19 Jul 2023 to 25 May 2024)
Valdemir Vicente Andrade Santos (Priest: 24 Aug 2001 to 11 Jul 2018)
João José da Costa, O. Carm. (Coadjutor Archbishop: 5 Nov 2014; Archbishop: 18 Jan 2017 to 19 Jul 2023)
Carlos Alberto dos Santos (Priest: 21 May 1983 to 15 Jun 2005)
Dulcênio Fontes de Matos (Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Apr 2001 to 12 Jul 2006)
Marco Eugênio Galrão Leite de Almeida (Priest: 10 Dec 1989 to 30 Apr 2003)
José Genivaldo Garcia (Priest: 8 Jan 1994 to 30 Nov 2022)
Edvaldo Gonçalves Amaral, S.D.B. (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1975 to 2 Sep 1980)
Hildebrando Mendes Costa (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Mar 1981 to 25 Mar 1986)
Josafá Menezes da Silva (Archbishop: 13 Mar 2024 - )
João Maria Messi, O.S.M. (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Jun 1988 to 22 Mar 1995)
Gregório (Leozírio) Ben Lâmed Paixão (Neto), O.S.B.
José Palmeira Lessa (Coadjutor Archbishop: 6 Dec 1996; Archbishop: 26 Aug 1998 to 18 Jan 2017)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Avelar Brandão Vilela † (Priest: 27 Oct 1935 to 13 Jun 1946)
Luciano José Cabral Duarte † (Priest: 18 Jan 1948; Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Jul 1966; Archbishop: 12 Feb 1971 to 26 Aug 1998)
José Tomas Gomes da Silva † (Bishop: 12 May 1911 to 31 Oct 1948)
Fernando Gomes dos Santos † (Bishop: 1 Feb 1949 to 7 Mar 1957)
Adriano Mandarino Hypólito, O.F.M. †
Manuel Raimundo de Melo † (Priest: 1 Nov 1894 to 18 Aug 1914)
Nivaldo Monte † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Apr 1963 to 8 May 1965)
Henrique Soares da Costa † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Apr 2009 to 19 Mar 2014)
José Vicente Távora † (Bishop: 20 Nov 1957; Archbishop: 30 Apr 1960 to 3 Apr 1970)

Source(s)

Diocese of Aracajú
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 2, Page 289, and Page 290
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 12, Page 425, to Page 427
Archdiocese of Aracajú
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 53, Page 91, to Page 94

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Archdiocese of Aracajú

Archidioecesis Aracaiuensis