The Church in Portugal
The population of Portugal is mainly Catholic, and according to the most recent data, around 80% of citizens identify themselves as such. According to a study by the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society, which served as the information base for the Synod of Bishops on young people in the Catholic Church of 2018, around 53% of Portuguese young people claim to be Catholics, representing a higher figure than the European average.
In Portugal, there are 21 dioceses and 4380 parishes. Among the many popular Portuguese devotions, the devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, celebrated on the dates marking the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the three shepherd children (Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia), is the most expressive.
The Patriarchate of Lisbon has a long history. Its origins date back to the 4th century, when Potamius was the first recorded bishop. The previous decades unveil an ancient tradition to tell of Verissimus, Maxima and Julia, the martyrs who were tortured and executed by the Romans.
In 1716, the Diocese of Lisbon became Patriarchate and since then, the Bishop of Lisbon has also received the title of Patriarch and is always made cardinal by the Pope, adopting the title of Cardinal Patriarch.
The current Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon is D. Rui Manuel Sousa Valério. He succeeded D. Manuel Clemente, becoming the 18th Patriarch of Lisbon on August 10, 2023, taking office on September 2, 2023 and solemnly entering on September 3, 2023.
With a geographical coverage of over 3000 km², the Diocese of Lisbon covers 18 vicariates and almost 300 parishes. It is bounded in the north by the Vicariate of Nazaré-Alcobaça, in the east by Vila Franca de Xira-Azambuja and in the south by the vicariates adjacent to the north bank of the Tagus River, some of which are in the city of Lisbon.
The services of the Diocesan Curia operate at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, which was built by D. Afonso Henriques. This monastery has been an important cultural centre over the centuries, where Saint Anthony, one of the patron saints of the Portuguese capital, also studied.
Patron Saints
Saint Vincent is the main patron of the Archdiocese of Lisbon. After being martyred in Valencia in the 4th century, his relics were brought to Lisbon and kept in the Cathedral. The memory of Saint Vincent is evoked on 22 January.
Saint Anthony, whose devotion is better known, is co-patron of the city. He is particularly revered in Lisbon and commemorated on 13 June. On this date the Church evokes his memory and it is also celebrated as a municipal holiday. The popular festivities in his honour begin on the 12th of this month with the Weddings of Saint Anthony.
The missionary spirit
In Portuguese memory, Lisbon is still the city from which “in the 15th and 16th centuries, countless young people, including many missionaries, departed for unknown lands in order to share their experience of Jesus with other peoples and nations”, highlighted Pope Francis.
Benedict XVI also stressed the role the Portuguese played in the evangelization of peoples, saying “glorious is the place conquered by Portugal among the nations for the service rendered to the expansion of the faith: in the five parts of the world, there are local Churches that originated from the Portuguese mission”.
There are also countless examples of missionary holiness offered to the world by Portugal, such as Saint Anthony of Lisbon, Saint John de Britto and many others.
The Church in Portugal covers 21 dioceses:
Located in the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima, in the central region of Portugal, the Shrine of Fatima welcomes millions of pilgrims from all over the world every year.
It expresses the request made by Our Lady who appeared in Cova da Iria, in 1917, to three humble shepherd children: Lucia de Jesus, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto. “I want to tell you that a chapel is to be built here in my honour. I am the Lady of the Rosary,” said the Virgin.
The chapel was built in 1919, on the site of the apparitions of Our Lady, and since then, the Shrine has continued to grow in response to the increased number of pilgrims who visit it throughout the year.
The apparitions
The story of the apparitions of Fatima dates back to 1916, when the angel appeared to the three shepherd children asking them to pray and make sacrifices for sinners. In the third and last apparition, the angel appeared, bringing the sacred chalice and host and making the young shepherds take communion. These apparitions are considered a preparation for the meetings with Our Lady.
In 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to the three children six times. The first occurred on 13 May, the second on 13 June and the third on 13 July, the day when the secret of Fatima was revealed to the three shepherd children, with thousands of people present in Cova da Iria. The fourth apparition occurred on 19 August in Valinhos, the fifth on 13 September and the sixth on 13 October. The accounts have been compiled into a book “Memoirs of Sister Lucia I ”.
Fatima and the Popes
The connection between Fatima and the Popes began in 1929, when Pope Pius XI blessed an image of Our Lady of Fatima, destined for the Portuguese College of Rome. In 1942, marking the 25 years of the apparitions, Pope Pius XII sent an important radio message to the Portuguese people and, in 1946, sent Cardinal Aloisi Masella to the Shrine to crown the image of Our Lady of Fatima on his behalf.
The first papal visit to Fatima occurred with Pope Paul VI, in 1967. Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis also travelled to the location and are known to have established a strong spiritual connection with the Shrine of Fatima.
Recognition of the Shrine of Fatima on a worldwide scale was boosted by the visit of Pope John Paul II to the site in 1982, as a way of giving thanks to Our Lady of Fatima, a year after being attacked. His unwavering devotion made him return a decade later, in 1991. In 2000, the Polish Pope visited Fatima again for the beatification of the shepherds Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
In 2017, the visit of Pope Francis marked the canonization of the shepherds Francisco and Jacinta Marto, now recognized as Saint Francisco Marto and Saint Jacinta Marto. The example of the holiness of small children demonstrates a true act of faith and commitment.