Jurisdiction: | Metropolitan Archdiocese |
Aracaju | |
Latin: | Archidioecesis Metropolitae Aracaiuensis |
Local: | Arquidiocese Metropolitano de Aracaju |
Country: | Brazil |
Province: | Aracaju |
Rite: | Latin Rite |
Established: | 3 January 1910 (years ago) |
Cathedral: | Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Aracaju |
Area Km2: | 7,019 |
Population: | 1,272,000 |
Population As Of: | 2012 |
Catholics: | 1,069,000 |
Catholics Percent: | 84 |
Parishes: | 88 |
Metro Archbishop: | Dom. Josafá Menezes da Silva |
Emeritus Bishops: | Luciano José Cabral Duarte |
Map: | Províncias eclesiásticas do Brasil.svg |
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aracaju (Latin: Archidioecesis Metropolitae Aracaiuensis) is a Latin Metropolitan archdiocese in the State of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is Our Lady of the Conception Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora da Conceiçao), dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, in the city of Aracaju. Two World Heritage Sites are owned by the Archdiocese in São Cristóvão, Sergipe: the Misericórdia Hospital and Church (Igreja de Santa Casa de Misericórdia) and the Church and Convent of Santa Cruz, also known as the Church and Convent of Saint Francis.
As per 2014, it pastorally served 1,086,000 Catholics (84.1% of 1,292,000 total) on 7,019 km2 in 99 parishes with 159 priests (129 diocesan, 30 religious), 21 deacons, 321 lay religious (119 brothers, 202 sisters) and 34 seminarians.
It was established on January 3, 1910, as Diocese of Aracaju, on territory split off from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia.On April 30, 1960, it was promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aracaju, losing territory to establish its two suffragans: Diocese of Estância and Diocese of Propriá.
Its Suffragan dioceses are both daughter sees :
Bishop of Petrolina, Pernambuco in 1946; future Cardinal