Ecclesiastical history of Braga explained

The region around the city of Braga, in modern Portugal, was an important centre for the spreading of Christendom in the Iberian Peninsula. This is reflected in the number of religious personalities associated with the region and the fact that many ecumenical councils were held in the city.

Historical outline

See main article: Archdiocese of Braga.

The tradition that Peter of Rates, a disciple of James the Great, preached here, is handed down in the ancient Breviary of Braga (Latin: Breviarium Bracarense) and in that of Évora; but this, according to the Bollandists, is purely traditional. Auditus of Braga is called the third bishop of the city.http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91134 Paternus was certainly bishop of the see about 390.[1]

In its early period the Diocese of Braga produced the writer Paulus Orosius (fl. 418). At the beginning of the eighteenth century a contest was waged over the birthplace of Orosius, some claiming him for Braga and others for Tarragona. The Marquis of Mondejar, with all the evidence in his favour, supported the claim of Braga;, the chronicler of Catalonia, that of Tarragona. Avitus of Braga, a contemporary writer of lesser importance, was a priest who went to the East to consult with Augustine at the same time that Orosius, who had been sent by Augustine, returned from consulting Jerome. It was through Avitus that the priest, Lucian of Caphar Gamala near Jerusalem, made known to the West the discovery of the body of Stephen (December, 415). The Greek encyclical letter of Lucian was translated into Latin by Avitus and sent to Braga with another for the bishop, Balconius, his clergy, and people, together with a relic of Stephen.[2] Avitus also attended the Council of Jerusalem against Pelagius (415). Two others of the name Avitus, men of note, introduced into these provinces the doctrines of Origen and Victorinus.

Some have denied that Braga was a metropolitan see; others have attempted without sufficient evidence, however, to claim two metropolitan sees for Gallaecia before the sixth century. In fact after the destruction of Astorga (433) by the Visigoths, Braga was elevated to the dignity of a metropolitan see in the time of Leo I (440-461). Balconius was then its bishop and Agrestius, Bishop of Lugo, was the metropolitan. At the latter's death the right of metropolitan rank was restored to the oldest bishop of the province, who was the bishop of Braga. From this time, until the Muslim conquest of Hispania (711), he retained the supremacy over all the sees of the province. In 1110 Pope Paschal II restored Braga to its former metropolitan rank. When Portugal separated from León in 1139, Braga assumed even greater importance. It contested with Toledo the primacy over all the Iberian sees, but the popes decided in favour of the latter city. Since it retained as suffragans the dioceses of Porto, Coimbra, Viseu, Bragança-Miranda do Douro, Aveiro and Pinhel. In 1390 Braga was divided to make the Archdiocese of Lisbon, and in 1540 its territory was again divided to create the Archdiocese of Évora. There have been many very famous bishops and writers in this diocese. Among its earlier bishops, besides the traditional Peter already mentioned, the most famous is Martin of Braga who died in 580, noted for his wisdom and holiness. Gregory of Tours says of him (Hist. France, V, xxxvii) that he was born in Pannonia, visited the Holy Land, and became the foremost scholar of his time. Isidore of Seville (Latin: "De Viris illustribus", c. xxxv) writes that he "was abbot of the monastery of Dumio near Braga, came to Gallaecia from the East, converted the Suevic inhabitants from the heresy of Arianism, taught them Catholic doctrine and discipline, strengthened their ecclesiastical organization, and founded monasteries. He also left a number of letters in which he recommended a reform of manners, a life of faith and prayer, and giving of alms, the constant practice of all virtues and the love of God." For his writings, see Otto Bardenhewer, Patrologie (2nd ed., 1901), 579-581. Braga having been destroyed by the Saracens, and restored in 1071, a succession of illustrious bishops occupied the see. Among these were:

Aleixo de Meneses, also an Augustinian, was transferred to Braga from the archiepiscopal see of Goa. He had been an apostle to the Nestorians of the Malabar Coast in Farther India and had converted them to Catholicism with the help of missionaries of the various religious orders. Under him was held the Council of Diamper (1599), for the establishment of the Catholic Church on the Malabar Coast. He died at Madrid in 1617 in his fifty-eighth year in the odour of sanctity, being then President of the Council of Castile. Other bishops of note were:

Church Councils of Braga

See main article: Councils of Braga.

Many church councils were held in Braga, some of them important. The authenticity of the so-called council of 411 is very doubtful. It was probably invented by Bernardo de Brito.[4]

First Council of Braga

In the council of 563 eight bishops took part, and twenty-two decrees were promulgated, among others the following:

Second Council of Braga

The second council held in 572, presided over by the aforesaid Martin, was held to increase the number of bishops in Gallaecia. Twelve bishops assisted at this council, and ten decrees were promulgated:

  1. that the bishops should in their visitations see in what manner the priests celebrated the Holy Sacrifice and administered baptism and the other sacraments, thanking God if they found everything as it should be, and instructing the priests if they were found wanting in knowledge, and obliging all catechumens to attend instructions for twenty days before baptism and to learn the creed
  2. that the bishop must not be tyrannical towards his priests
  3. that no fee must be accepted for Holy orders
  4. that the holy chrism must be distributed free
  5. that the bishop must not ask a fee for consecrating a church
  6. that no church should be consecrated without the bishop being sure of the endowment of the ministers
  7. that no church built on private property for the purpose of emolument should receive consecration
  8. that if a cleric should accuse any one of unchastity without the evidence of two or three witnesses he should be excommunicated
  9. that the metropolitan should announce the date of Easter, and have it made known to the people after Christmas, so that they might be prepared for the beginning of Lent, when litanies were to be recited for three days; on the third day the Lenten fast should be announced after the Mass
  10. that any one saying Mass without fasting, as many did, as a result of Priscillianist tendencies, should be deprived of his office.

This council was attended by the bishops of the suffragan sees of Braga, and by those of the Diocese of Lugo, and Pope Innocent III removed all doubt as to its authenticity.

Third Council of Braga

The Third Council of Braga was held in 675, during the primacy of Leodegisius, and in the reign of King Wamba. Eight decrees were promulgated at this council;

  1. that no one should dare to offer in sacrifice milk and grapes, but bread and wine mixed with a drop of water in a chalice, nor should bread soaking in wine be used
  2. that laymen should be excommunicated if they put the sacred vessels to profane uses
  3. that ecclesiastics deprived of their office if they did the same
  4. that no priest should have any woman but his mother in his house
  5. that bishops, when carrying the relics of martyrs in procession, must walk to the church, and not be carried in a chair, or litter, by deacons clothed in white
  6. that corporal punishment was not to be inflicted on youthful ecclesiastics, abbots, or priests, except for grievous faults
  7. that no fee must be accepted for Holy orders
  8. that the rectors of the churches must not require that members of their ecclesiastical household to do work on their private farms; if they did so they must recompense the church for the injury done thereby.

Other councils

There were other councils at Braga in 1278-1280, 1301, 1328, 1436, 1488, 1537, besides various diocesan and provincial synods of lesser importance.

Sources and external links

  1. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02728a.htm Archdiocese of Braga
  2. The relics of Stephen, entrusted to Orosius, were left by him in Majorca when he returned to North Africa and have been lost (H. Wace, Dictionary, s.v. "Orosius").
  3. Web site: Pope Francis Signs a Decree of Equipollent Canonization. 25 July 2019.
  4. Soares . Franquelim Neiva . 1997-01-01 . História breve dos sínodos e concílios da Arquidiocese de Braga . Theologica . pt . 32 . 1 . 119–138 . 10.34632/theologica.1997.10777 . 0872-234X.