Roman Catholic Diocese of Beja

The Diocese of Beja (Latin: Dioecesis Beiensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic church in Portugal. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Évora.^[2]

Diocese of Beja Dioecesis Beiensis Diocese de Beja
The Cathedral of St. James the Greater in Beja
Location
Country	Portugal
Ecclesiastical province	Evora
Metropolitan	Archdiocese of Evora
Statistics
Area	12,300 km2 (4,700 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2012) 223,200 186,100 (83.4%)
Parishes	119
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	10 July 1770
Cathedral	Cathedral of St. James the Greater in Beja
Patron saint	Saint Joseph
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	António Vitalino Fernandes Dantas, O.Carm.
Metropolitan Archbishop	José Francisco Sanches Alves
Coadjutor	José Marcos dos Santos (Coadjutor Bishop-elect)[1]
Map
Website
Website of the Diocese

History

Beja lies on the site of Pax Julia, or Paca, of the Romans, and is still surrounded by remains of old Roman walls, partly restored. The diocese was created 10 June 1770. Beja was taken from its Islamic rulers in 1162 by Afonso I of Portugal. Beja Cathedral is an old church, much modernized, of uncertain date.^[3]

The chronicler Isidorus Pacensis, of the eighth century, was traditionally said to have been bishop of Beja; but this is now disputed.^[4]

See also

• Catholic Church in Portugal