Archdiocese of Paraíba

Archidioecesis Parahybensis

Bishop(s)

Manoel Delson Pedreira da Cruz, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop
Alcivan Tadeus Gomes de Araújo, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 6 February 1914
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Paraiba
Country: Brazil
Square Kilometers: 6,703 (2,589 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Nordeste 2
Official Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesepb.org.br/
Mailing Address: Curia Metropolitana, Praca Dom Adauto s/n, 58010-670 Joao Pessoa, PB, Brazil
Telephone: (083)3133-1000
Fax: 3133-1029

Historical Details

Diocese of Paraíba
- Latin Name: Parahybensis
- Erected: 27 April 1892
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Olinda
- Country: Brazil

Past and Present Ordinaries

Adauto Aurélio de Miranda Henriques † (2 Jan 1894 Appointed - 15 Aug 1935 Died)
Moisés Sizenando Coelho † (16 Aug 1935 Succeeded - 18 Apr 1959 Died)
Mário de Miranda Vilas-Boas † (20 Jun 1959 Appointed - 18 May 1965 Resigned)
José Maria Pires † (2 Dec 1965 Appointed - 29 Nov 1995 Retired)
Marcelo Pinto Carvalheira † (29 Nov 1995 Appointed - 5 May 2004 Retired)
Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, S.S.S. † (5 May 2004 Appointed - 6 Jul 2016 Resigned)
Manoel Delson Pedreira da Cruz, O.F.M. Cap. (8 Mar 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Paraíba
27 April 1892	Erected	Diocese of Olinda	Diocese of Paraíba (erected)
29 December 1909	Territory Lost	Diocese of Paraíba	Diocese of Natal (erected)
5 December 1910	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Paraíba (from São Salvador da Bahia)
6 February 1914	Territory Lost	Diocese of Paraíba (Western part)	Diocese of Cajazeiras (erected)
Archdiocese of Paraíba
6 February 1914	Elevated	Diocese of Paraíba	Archdiocese of Paraíba
14 May 1949	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Paraíba (Texeira, Batalhao, Monteiro, Sumé, Garoà, Itamorotinga, Caraïbeiras, Cabaceiras, Ibiapinopolis, Picui, Pedra Lavrada, Cuité, Esperança, Alagôa Nova, N. S. da Gonceiçâo, N. S. da Rosario, Iofili, Tataguassú, and Fagundes)	Diocese of Campina Grande (erected)
17 January 1959	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Paraíba (Aroeiras and Umbuzeiro)	Diocese of Campina Grande
11 October 1980	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Paraíba (Guarabira, Alagoinha, Araçagi, Arara, Araruna, Bananeiras, Beiern, Borborema, Cacimba de Dentro, Caiçara, Cuitegí, Dona Ines, Duas Estradas, Lagôa de Dentro, Mari, Mulungú, Pilöes, Pilöezinhos, Pirpirituba, Serra da Raiz, Serraría, Solânea, and Tacima)	Diocese of Guarabira (erected)
20 November 1999	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Paraíba (Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceiçâo (in Areia), Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem (in Alagoa Grande), and Nossa Senhora do Patrocinio (in Remigio))	Diocese of Guarabira

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

Archdiocese of Paraíba

1948 950,000 1,000,000 95.0% 72 36 108 8,796 60 179 53 ap1948

1965 912,000 967,000 94.3% 52 22 74 12,324 7 305 42 ap1967

1968 950,000 1,100,000 86.4% 49 30 79 12,025 35 312 30 ap1971

1976 857,761 1,143,709 75.0% 10 17 27 31,768 3 23 253 42 ap1977

1980 923,000 1,233,000 74.9% 39 20 59 15,644 5 33 232 44 ap1981

1990 897,000 1,109,000 80.9% 34 29 63 14,238 4 40 222 33 ap1991

1999 870,000 1,689,460 51.5% 62 39 101 8,613 8 70 257 48 ap2000

2000 880,000 1,689,460 52.1% 50 39 89 9,887 8 51 260 49 ap2001

2001 800,600 1,539,460 52.0% 75 38 113 7,084 8 67 240 48 ap2002

2002 780,000 1,247,728 62.5% 75 37 112 6,964 12 62 231 54 ap2003

2003 1,044,100 1,282,844 81.4% 72 35 107 9,757 17 55 230 58 ap2004

2004 1,030,416 1,240,022 83.1% 84 30 114 9,038 16 37 238 59 ap2005

2013 1,278,000 1,578,000 81.0% 117 35 152 8,407 44 44 172 87 ap2014

2016 1,313,000 1,590,472 82.6% 107 35 142 9,246 41 42 198 87 ap2017

2019 1,346,400 1,621,000 83.1% 118 31 149 9,036 46 35 184 94 ap2020

2021 1,066,688 1,631,271 65.4% 130 33 163 6,544 55 38 173 94 ap2022

2023 1,085,218 1,659,609 65.4% 140 31 171 6,346 57 35 180 97 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Paraíba
1948	950,000	1,000,000	95.0%	72	36	108	8,796		60	179	53	ap1948
1965	912,000	967,000	94.3%	52	22	74	12,324		7	305	42	ap1967
1968	950,000	1,100,000	86.4%	49	30	79	12,025		35	312	30	ap1971
1976	857,761	1,143,709	75.0%	10	17	27	31,768	3	23	253	42	ap1977
1980	923,000	1,233,000	74.9%	39	20	59	15,644	5	33	232	44	ap1981
1990	897,000	1,109,000	80.9%	34	29	63	14,238	4	40	222	33	ap1991
1999	870,000	1,689,460	51.5%	62	39	101	8,613	8	70	257	48	ap2000
2000	880,000	1,689,460	52.1%	50	39	89	9,887	8	51	260	49	ap2001
2001	800,600	1,539,460	52.0%	75	38	113	7,084	8	67	240	48	ap2002
2002	780,000	1,247,728	62.5%	75	37	112	6,964	12	62	231	54	ap2003
2003	1,044,100	1,282,844	81.4%	72	35	107	9,757	17	55	230	58	ap2004
2004	1,030,416	1,240,022	83.1%	84	30	114	9,038	16	37	238	59	ap2005
2013	1,278,000	1,578,000	81.0%	117	35	152	8,407	44	44	172	87	ap2014
2016	1,313,000	1,590,472	82.6%	107	35	142	9,246	41	42	198	87	ap2017
2019	1,346,400	1,621,000	83.1%	118	31	149	9,036	46	35	184	94	ap2020
2021	1,066,688	1,631,271	65.4%	130	33	163	6,544	55	38	173	94	ap2022
2023	1,085,218	1,659,609	65.4%	140	31	171	6,346	57	35	180	97	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Nereudo Freire Henrique (Priest: 13 Dec 1996 to 8 Nov 2024)
Alcivan Tadeus Gomes de Araújo (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Nov 2023)
Manoel Delson Pedreira da Cruz, O.F.M. Cap. (Archbishop: 8 Mar 2017 - )
Genival Saraiva de França (Apostolic Administrator: 6 Jul 2016 to 20 May 2017)
Aldemiro Sena dos Santos

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Epaminondas José de Araújo †
Moisés Sizenando Coelho † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 12 Feb 1932; Archbishop: 16 Aug 1935 to 18 Apr 1959)
Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, S.S.S. † (Archbishop: 5 May 2004 to 6 Jul 2016)
Antônio Batista Fragoso †
Eliseu Maria Gomes de Oliveira, O. Carm. †
Fernando Gomes dos Santos †
Carlos Gouvêa Coelho † (Priest: 9 Feb 1930 to 10 Jan 1948)
Adauto Aurélio de Miranda Henriques † (Bishop: 2 Jan 1894; Archbishop: 6 Feb 1914 to 15 Aug 1935)
Mário de Miranda Vilas-Boas † (Archbishop: 20 Jun 1959 to 18 May 1965)
Manuel Pereira da Costa † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 May 1954 to 20 Jun 1959)
Marcelo Pinto Carvalheira † (Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Oct 1975 to 9 Nov 1981; Archbishop: 29 Nov 1995 to 5 May 2004)
José Maria Pires † (Archbishop: 2 Dec 1965 to 29 Nov 1995)

Source(s)

Diocese of Paraíba
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 2, Page 945
Archdiocese of Paraíba
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 6, Page 187, and Page 188

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