Catholic Church in Brazil

Igreja Católica no Brasil

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Aparecida. It's the second largest Catholic church in the world, after St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

Type| National polity
Classification| Catholic
Orientation| Latin
Scripture| Bible
Theology| Catholic theology
Polity| Episcopal
Governance| CNBB
Pope| Leo XIV
President| Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo
Primate| Sérgio da Rocha
Region| Brazil
Language| Portuguese, Latin
Headquarters| Brasília
Origin| c 1500
Colonial Brazil, Portuguese Empire
Separations| Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
Members| 119 million
Official website| CNBB

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Catholicism portal

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* e

The Brazilian Catholic Church, or Catholic Church in Brazil, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome, and the influential National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Portuguese: Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil - CNBB), composed of over 400 primary and auxiliary bishops and archbishops. There are 44 ecclesiastical provinces, which have 275 dioceses, eparchies, ordinariates, and territorial prelatures in Brazil. The Primate of Brazil is Dom Sérgio da Rocha.

The Catholic Church is the largest denomination in the country, where 119 million people, or 56.75% of the Brazilian population, were self-declared Catholics in 2022.[1] These figures made Brazil the single country with the largest Catholic community in the world.[2][3][4]

According to a 2014 Pew Research Center study, 81% of Brazil's population was raised Catholic, but only 61% identified as Catholic in that year, a difference of 20 percentage points. One of the challenges faced by the Catholic Church in Brazil is the loss of adherents to Protestant churches and to irreligion.[5] The 2022 Brazilian census found that 56.7% of Brazilians identified as Catholic, a decrease of 8.4 percentage points from 2010, when 65.1% of the population aged 10 and older identified as Catholic. During the same period, Protestants increased from 21.6% to 26.9%.[6] In 1991, 83.34% of Brazilians identified as Catholics.[7] In a Datafolha survey conducted at the end of 2024, approximately 50% of the surveyed population identified as Catholic, while 25% identified as Protestant.[8]

## History

[edit]

The Final Mass of the World Youth Day 2013, at Copacabana Beach. Pope Francis was the third Pope to visit Brazil. Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil

Main article: History of the Catholic Church in Brazil

According to the tradition, the first Catholic mass celebrated in Brazil took place on 26 April 1500.[9] It was celebrated by a priest who arrived in the country along with the Portuguese pirates and explorers to claim possession of the newfound land. The first diocese in Brazil was erected more than 50 years later, in 1551.

Brazil's strong Catholic heritage can be traced to the Iberian missionary zeal, with the 15th-century goal of spreading Christianity. The Church missions began to hamper the government policy of exploiting the natives. In 1782 the Jesuits were suppressed, and the government tightened its control over the Church.

Catholicism was the predominant faith during colonial rule, then in 1824 became the official religion of an independent Brazil which also guaranteed freedom of religion for its citizens. The Brazilian government has been secular since the Constitution of 1891 and the Church has remained politically influential.[10] In the late 19th century, the Catholic population of Iberian origin was reinforced by a large number of Italian Catholics who immigrated to Brazil, as well as some Polish and German Catholic immigrants. In 1889 Brazil became a republic and approved a constitution separating the Church from the State, a trend followed by all of the country's seven republican constitutions.[3] Prior to that, during the Empire of Brazil, Catholicism was the official religion of the country.[11] In practice, separation of Church and state in the country is weak as government officials generally avoid taking actions that may offend the Church which represents a large majority of citizens.[3]

A recent example of the Church's influence over political questions was the change conducted by the federal government in the Third National Program of Human Rights in regard to its proposal to legalize abortion, after pressure from the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops.[12] That particular change, along with others, was denounced by the Amnesty International.[13] Nevertheless, the government kept issues contrary to Church teaching in the Program, such as its support for same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption.[12]

In the late 20th century the Church's liberation theology movement, which focuses on the poor as the primary recipients of Christ's message, helped in the quest for social justice.[14] The church organized ecclesiastical base communities throughout the country to work for social and political causes at the local level.[3] Despite the support of the higher clergy for the military, the progressive wing managed to make the Church practically the only legitimate focus of resistance and defense of basic human rights during military rule,[3] as well as a main advocate[15] for social rights and human dignity in the Constitutional Assembly of 1987–1988. When then Cardinal Ratzinger became responsible for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he launched a successful campaign against the liberation theology,[14] and the conservative wing of the Church gained power. Catholics then saw the rise of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement, as a way to counter the rapid growth of Pentecostal Protestantism in the country.[3] According to Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, “pentecostalism no longer is something confined outside the Catholic Church, it is now firmly within the form of various charismatic tendencies and movements”.[14]

During his five-day visit to Brazil in May 2007 Pope Benedict XVI canonized Frei Galvão, who became the first Brazilian-born saint. Both the Pope's visit and the canonisation aimed at reinvigorating the local church.[16] Brazil was also the first foreign country visited by Benedict's successor Pope Francis.[17]

## Demographics

[edit]

According to a 2007 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, more than 60 percent of the urban population of Brazil claims a Catholic affiliation.[14] A 2020 poll by Datafolha suggests that the Catholic population is closer to 50 percent of the country and decreasing, with Evangelical Protestant groups growing as a proportion, although ARDA reports Catholicism at 70.57% of the population.[18][19] Religious syncretism is widespread among Brazilian Catholics. There is an overlay of Afro-Brazilian religions (such as Candomblé, Quimbanda and Umbanda) with Catholic beliefs and practices, which many Catholic Brazilians do not find inconsistent with their faith.[20] An example is the Feast of Bonfim, a ritual in which mães-de-santo gather to wash the stairs of the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador, Bahia. Catholics are far more likely to believe in good luck charms, fortune-tellers, faith-healers and astrology than are converts to Protestantism.[4]

Religious change in Brazil is frequent.[4] According to polling institute Datafolha, as of July 2013, approximately 57% of those aged over 16 years old were Catholic, while evangelicals constituted 28%.[21]

According to America Magazine in 2003, Brazilian Catholics have the highest score in the world on the image of God as a loving Father. They are also more likely to see human nature as good rather than corrupt, and the world as good rather than evil. Brazilian Catholics are less likely to believe in the literal, word-for-word interpretation of the Bible than Protestants.[4] They are also more likely to accept premarital sex, cohabitation before marriage, homosexuality and abortion.[4] About 40% attend Masses at least once a month—approximately the same level as that of American Catholics. Almost 75% pray every day, but only 12% engage in Church activities; only 26% say they are "very religious".[4] More than one out of five of those who were raised Catholics leave the church, most of them taking on no religious affiliation or Protestantism. However, Catholicism has the highest rate of retention. More than 40% of those who were raised Protestant are no longer Protestant after adulthood; the Catholic Church picks up 16% of those who were raised Protestants.[4]

By race, 66.4% of whites are Catholic, along with 58.2% of blacks, 59.9% of East Asians, 64.1% of browns, and 50.7% of American Indians.[22]

### Decline of Adherents

[edit]

In recent decades, there has been a notable decline in the number of Catholics in the Brazilian population, especially since the 1990s. In 1872, 99.71% of Brazilians identified as Catholic; 95% in 1940; 83.34% in 1991; 73.89% in 2000; and 68.43% in 2009. At the same time, the number of Protestants, people with no religion, and followers of other faiths has grown.[7] According to a 2014 Pew Research Center study, 54% of Brazilian Protestants said they were raised as Catholics.[5]

Religious affiliation in Brazil by year[23] Year | Catholics (%) | Protestants (%) | No religion (%) | Others (%)

|
|
|
|

1994 | 75 | 14 | 5 | 6
2001 | 62 | 21 | 7 | 10
2006 | 68 | 20 | 5 | 7
2010 | 63 | 24 | 6 | 7
2016 | 50 | 29 | 14 | 7
2022 | 49 | 26 | 14 | —

According to a 2009 study by Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), Catholicism in Brazil has been losing followers mainly in impoverished urban areas, particularly to Pentecostal Evangelical churches and to non-religiosity. The study pointed out that Brazil's "old poverty," particularly rural areas in the Northeast, which benefit from government programs, remain predominantly Catholic. Meanwhile, the "new poverty," referring to the outskirts of major cities—often underserved by social programs—has been shifting toward Protestantism and non-religion.[7]

One explanation for the decline in Catholicism is internal migration. In Brazil, Evangelical churches tend to grow in regions experiencing agricultural frontier expansion, in urban slums, and in metropolitan municipalities—places with high numbers of migrants from other regions. These migrants often settle in areas lacking both government presence and Catholic Church infrastructure, which "lacks the agility to send priests and establish parishes." In contrast, Evangelical churches are more flexible and quicker to establish congregations, thereby filling this institutional void. This shift is less common in areas with low migration rates or in rural interiors, where the population is more likely to remain affiliated with the religion in which they were raised.[24]

> The Catholic Church has been unable to keep up with the new Brazil due to its centralized, hierarchical, slow-moving structure that is resistant to change. For instance, while Catholic churches are present in the centers of virtually every city in the country, they have not kept pace with the demographic expansion in the peripheries of major urban centers. The shortage of priests and the physical distance from believers hinder the Church's ability to spread its doctrine and engage large segments of the population in everyday church life. Clericalism serves the interests of the clergy to the detriment of grassroots participation. Moreover, scandals involving pedophilia cast doubt on the moral integrity of many priests, while the issue of clerical celibacy continues to divide the Church and its two Popes.[25]

## Education

[edit]

As the largest Catholic country in the world, Catholic education has a great tradition in Brazil. The Society of Jesus founded the first schools in the country, with the aim of evangelizing Native-Brazilians. In the late 18th century, Portuguese minister Marquis of Pombal attacked and expelled the Jesuits from Portugal and its overseas possessions. He seized the Jesuit schools and introduced educational reforms all over the Empire. Since then, public schools have been secular, but private Catholic schools are among the best in the country.

According to the Ministry of Education, there are more than 30 Catholic universities in Brazil.[26] The first was the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, founded by Marist Brothers on 1931. Another influential is the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro who is one of best private universities in the country, and behind only the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro at the state avaliation rankings.[27] The Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais had been chosen by the Ministry as the best private university, and the best in the state of Minas Gerais, the previous year.[28] In 1969, the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo became the first higher education institute in Brazil to offer a post-graduation course.[29]

## Organization

[edit]

See also: List of Catholic dioceses in Brazil

In Brazil, there are a total of 275 particular churches--consisting of:

* 45 archdioceses,
* 215 dioceses (2 of which are Eastern rite eparchies under Latin jurisdiction),
* 9 territorial prelatures,
* the Archeparchy of São João Batista em Curitiba,
* the Eparchy of Imaculada Conceição in Prudentópolis under the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church,
* the Armenian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Latin America and Mexico,
* the Ordinariate for the Faithful of Eastern Rites in Brazil,
* the Military Ordinariate of Brazil,
* the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney.

## Notable people

[edit]

Main page: Category:Brazilian Roman Catholics

* Pedro I of Brazil
* Pedro II of Brazil
* Princess Isabel
* Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies
* Machado de Assis

## See also

[edit]

* Abortion in Brazil
* 2009 Brazilian girl abortion case
* Catholic Electoral League
* Centro Dom Bosco
* Demographics of Brazil
* Neo-Thomism in Brazil
* Our Lady of Aparecida
* Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM)
* Papal visits to Brazil
* Religion in Brazil
* Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church

### Lists

[edit]

* List of Brazilian Saints
* List of Catholic dioceses in Brazil

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Censo 2022: católicos seguem em queda; evangélicos e sem religião crescem no país". IBGE. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
2. ^ "Factfile: Roman Catholics around the world". BBC. 1 April 2005
3. ^ a b c d e f Country Studies. "Brazil - Roman Catholicism". source: Rex A. Hudson, ed. Brazil: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1997.
4. ^ a b c d e f g Scalon, Maria Celi. "Catholics and Protestants in Brazil". America Magazine. 18 August 2003.
5. ^ a b "Religion in Latin America: Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region". Pew Research Center. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
6. ^ "Census 2022: Catholics continue to decline; evangelicals and non-religious grow in Brazil". IBGE. 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
7. ^ a b c "Novo Mapa das Religiões" (PDF). Fundação Getúlio Vargas. 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
8. ^ "Pope dies: see an overview of the Catholic Church". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 21 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
9. ^ Primeira Missa no Brasil
10. ^ "Brazil". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011.
11. ^ “Facts about Roman Catholicism: Brazil”. Encyclopædia Britannica.
12. ^ a b Agência Brasil. “Para CNBB, mudanças no PNDH 3 revelam sensibilidade” Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. iG Último Segundo. 13 May 2010.
13. ^ pndh3.com.br. “Anistia Internacional expõe preocupação com mudança no PNDH-3”. Communist Party of Brazil. 29 May 2010.
14. ^ a b c d Almeida, Rodrigo. “Benedict XVI in Brazil: raising the Catholic flag”. Open Democracy. 8 May 2007.
15. ^ Brigagão Ferrer Alves Carvalho, Natalia (2019). "Catholic Social Thought, Politics and Human Dignity in the Brazilian Constitutional Assembly of 1987-1988". American Journal of Legal History. 59: 111–140\. doi:10.1093/ajlh/njy029.
16. ^ “Pope names Brazil's first saint”. BBC. 11 May 2007.
17. ^ Religion in Brazil: Earthly concerns The Economist Newspaper Limited 2018.
18. ^ \- 50% dos brasileiros são católicos, 31%, evangélicos e 10% não têm religião, diz Datafolha. 2020 Retrieved February 7, 2022.
19. ^ "National Profiles | World Religion". www.thearda.com. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
20. ^ Country Studies "Brazil - Other Religions". source: Rex A. Hudson, ed. Brazil: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1997.
21. ^ March of Brazil’s evangelicals tests pontiff Financial Times
22. ^ "FTP link". ftp.ibge.gov.br (FTP).[dead ftp link] (To view documents see Help:FTP) page 6
23. ^ "Progressive decline of Catholics in Brazil: to what extent?". Archdiocese of Cascavel. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
24. ^ "Northeast and South are the last Catholic strongholds in Brazil". G1. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
25. ^ "The crisis in the Brazilian Catholic Church is one reason for the decline in followers, explains sociologist". RFI. 19 April 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
26. ^ Higher education institutes registered at the Ministry of Education Archived 11 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine
27. ^ Smith, Bruna and Ferrarese, Luigi. "MEC: PUC-Rio é a melhor universidade particular do país". Portal PUC-Rio Digital. 1 September 2009
28. ^ "PUC Minas entre as melhores do país" Archived 8 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Canal Aberto. September–October 2008.
29. ^ "Uma história da PUC-SP" Archived 10 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese). PUC-SP official website. Retrieved 21 February 2010.

## External links

[edit]

* National Conference of Brazilian Bishops
* List of Catholic dioceses of Brazil
* Statistics of Catholicism in Brazil

* v
* t
* e

Catholic Church in Brazil

National Conference of Bishops of Brazil

Timeline|

|

Archdioceses|

* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aparecida
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aracaju
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Belém do Pará
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Botucatu
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Brasília
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Campinas
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Campo Grande
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cascavel
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuiabá
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Curitiba
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Diamantina
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Feira de Santana
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Florianópolis
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Fortaleza
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Goiânia
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Juiz de Fora
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Londrina
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Maceió
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manaus
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mariana
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Maringá
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montes Claros
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Natal
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Niterói
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Olinda e Recife
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palmas
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Paraíba
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Passo Fundo
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pelotas
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Velho
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pouso Alegre
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ribeirão Preto
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Maria
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of São José do Rio Preto
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Luís do Maranhão
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Paulo
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sorocaba
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Teresina
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Uberaba
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vitória
* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vitória da Conquista

Dioceses|

*     * Diocese of Caraguatatuba
* Diocese of Lorena
* Diocese of São José dos Campos
* Diocese of Taubaté
* Diocese of Estância
* Diocese of Propriá
* Diocese of Abaetetuba
* Diocese of Bragança do Pará
* Diocese of Cametá
* Diocese of Castanhal
* Diocese of Macapá
* Diocese of Marabá
* Diocese of Óbidos
* Diocese of Ponta de Pedras
* Diocese of Santarém
* Diocese of Santíssima Conceição do Araguaia
* Prelature of Itaituba
* Prelature of Marajó
* Prelature of Xingu
* Diocese of Divinópolis
* Diocese of Luz
* Diocese of Oliveira
* Diocese of Sete Lagoas
* Diocese of Araçatuba
* Diocese of Assis
* Diocese of Bauru
* Diocese of Lins
* Diocese of Marília
* Diocese of Ourinhos
* Diocese of Presidente Prudente
* Diocese of Formosa
* Diocese of Luziânia
* Diocese of Uruaçu
* Diocese of Amparo
* Diocese of Bragança Paulista
* Diocese of Limeira
* Diocese of Piracicaba
* Diocese of São Carlos
* Diocese of Corumbá
* Diocese of Coxim
* Diocese of Dourados
* Diocese of Naviraí
* Diocese of Jardim
* Diocese of Três Lagoas
* Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu
* Diocese of Palmas-Francisco Beltrão
* Diocese of Toledo
* Diocese of Barra do Garças
* Diocese of Diamantino
* Diocese of Guiratinga
* Diocese of Juína
* Diocese of Rondonópolis
* Diocese of São Luíz de Cáceres
* Prelature of Paranatinga
* Prelature of São Félix
* Diocese of Guarapuava
* Diocese of Paranaguá
* Diocese of Ponta Grossa
* Diocese of União da Vitória
* Diocese of São José dos Pinhais
* Diocese of Almenara
* Diocese of Araçuaí
* Diocese of Guanhães
* Diocese of Teófilo Otoni
* Diocese of Barra do Rio Grande
* Diocese of Barreiras
* Diocese of Bonfim
* Diocese of Irecê
* Diocese of Juazeiro
* Diocese of Paulo Afonso
* Diocese of Ruy Barbosa
* Diocese of Serrinha
* Diocese of Blumenau
* Diocese of Caçador
* Diocese of Chapecó
* Diocese of Criciúma
* Diocese of Joaçaba
* Diocese of Joinville
* Diocese of Lages
* Diocese of Rio do Sul
* Diocese of Tubarão
* Diocese of Crateús
* Diocese of Crato
* Diocese of Iguatú
* Diocese of Itapipoca
* Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte
* Diocese of Quixadá
* Diocese of Sobral
* Diocese of Tianguá
* Diocese of Anápolis
* diocese of Goiás
* Diocese of Ipameri
* Diocese of Itumbiara
* Diocese of Jataí
* Diocese of Rubiataba-Mozarlândia
* Diocese of São Luís de Montes Belos
* Diocese of Leopoldina
* Diocese of São João del Rei
* Diocese of Apucarana
* Diocese of Cornélio Procópio
* Diocese of Jacarezinho
* Diocese of Palmeira dos Índios
* Diocese of Penedo
* Diocese of Alto Solimões
* Diocese of Coari
* Diocese of Parintins
* Diocese of Roraima
* Diocese of São Gabriel da Cachoeira
* Prelature of Borba
* Prelature of Itacoatiara
* Prelature of Tefé
* Diocese of Caratinga
* Diocese of Governador Valadares
* Diocese of Itabira–Fabriciano
* Diocese of Campo Mourão
* Diocese of Paranavaí
* Diocese of Umuarama
* Diocese of Janaúba
* Diocese of Januária
* Diocese of Paracatu
* Diocese of Caicó
* Diocese of Mossoró
* Diocese of Campos
* Diocese of Nova Friburgo
* Diocese of Petrópolis
* Diocese of Afogados da Ingazeira
* Diocese of Caruaru
* Diocese of Floresta
* Diocese of Garanhuns
* Diocese of Nazaré
* Diocese of Palmares
* Diocese of Pesqueira
* Diocese of Petrolina
* Diocese of Salgueiro
* Diocese of Miracema do Tocantins
* Diocese of Porto Nacional
* Diocese of Tocantinópolis
* Prelature of Cristalândia
* Diocese of Cajazieras
* Diocese of Campina Grande
* Diocese of Guarabira
* Diocese of Patos
* Diocese of Erexim
* Diocese of Frederico Westphalen
* Diocese of Vacaria
* Diocese of Bagé
* Diocese of Rio Grande
* Diocese of Caxias do Sul
* Diocese of Montenegro
* Diocese of Novo Hamburgo
* Diocese of Osório
* Diocese of Cruzeiro do Sul
* Diocese of Guajará-Mirim
* Diocese of Humaitá
* Diocese of Ji-Paraná
* Diocese of Rio Branco
* Prelature of Lábrea
* Diocese of Campanha
* Diocese of Guaxupé
* Diocese of Barretos
* Diocese of Catanduva
* Diocese of Franca
* Diocese of Jaboticabal
* Diocese of Jales
* Diocese of São João da Boa Vista
* Diocese of Cachoeira do Sul
* Diocese of Cruz Alta
* Diocese of Santa Cruz do Sul
* Diocese of Santo Ângelo
* Diocese of Uruguaiana
* Diocese of Bacabal
* Diocese of Balsas
* Diocese of Brejo
* Diocese of Carolina
* Diocese of Caxias do Maranhão
* Diocese of Coroatá
* Diocese of Grajaú
* Diocese of Imperatriz
* Diocese of Pinheiro
* Diocese of Viana
* Diocese of Zé-Doca
* Diocese of Campo Limpo
* Diocese of Guarulhos
* Diocese of Mogi das Cruzes
* Eparchy of Nossa Senhora do Líbano em São Paulo (Maronite)
* Eparchy of Nossa Senhora do Paraíso em São Paulo
* Diocese of Osasco
* Diocese of Santo Amaro
* Diocese of Santo André
* Diocese of Santos
* Diocese of São Miguel Paulista
* Diocese of Alagoinhas
* Diocese of Amargosa
* Diocese of Camaçari
* Diocese of Eunápolis
* Diocese of Ilhéus
* Diocese of Itabuna
* Diocese of Teixeira de Freitas-Caravelas
* Diocese of Barra do Piraí-Volta Redonda
* Diocese of Duque de Caxias
* Diocese of Itaguaí
* Diocese of Nova Iguaçu
* Diocese of Valença
* Diocese of Itapetininga
* Diocese of Itapeva
* Diocese of Jundiaí
* Diocese of Registro
* Diocese of Bom Jesus do Gurguéia
* Diocese of Campo Maior
* Diocese of Floriano
* Diocese of Oeiras
* Diocese of Parnaíba
* Diocese of Picos
* Diocese of São Raimundo Nonato
* Diocese of Ituiutaba
* Diocese of Patos de Minas
* Diocese of Uberlândia
* Diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
* Diocese of Colatina
* Diocese of São Mateus
* Diocese of Bom Jesus da Lapa
* Diocese of Caetité
* Diocese of Jequié
* Diocese of Livramento de Nossa Senhora

Prelates|

* Joaquim Arcoverde de Albuquerque Cavalcanti
* Paulo Evaristo Arns
* João Batista Becker
* Avelar Brandão Vilela
* João Braz de Aviz
* Luciano José Cabral Duarte
* Hélder Câmara
* Jaime de Barros Câmara
* Geraldo Majela de Castro
* Raymundo Damasceno Assis
* Serafim Fernandes de Araújo
* José Freire Falcão
* Bruno Gamberini
* Dadeus Grings
* Cláudio Hummes
* Dimas Lara Barbosa
* Aloysio José Leal Penna
* Joviano de Lima Júnior
* Paulo Lopes de Faria
* Aloísio Lorscheider
* José Martins da Silva
* Antônio Maria Mucciolo
* Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo
* Aloísio Roque Oppermann
* José Palmeira Lessa
* Paulo Eduardo Andrade Ponte
* Murilo Ramos Krieger
* Arnaldo Ribeiro
* Sérgio da Rocha
* Altamiro Rossato
* Agnelo Rossi
* Eugênio Sales
* Airton José dos Santos
* Eusébio Scheid
* Alfredo Scherer
* Odilo Scherer
* Geraldo de Proença Sigaud
* Sebastião da Silveira Cintra
* José Cardoso Sobrinho
* Alberto Taveira Corrêa
* Orani João Tempesta
* Benedito de Ulhôa Vieira
* Carlos Carmelo Vasconcellos Motta
* Moacyr José Vitti
* Vicente Joaquim Zico

Saints|

* St. Roque González de Santa Cruz
* St. Amabile Visintainer
* St. Frei Galvão
* St. José de Anchieta
* St. Dulce of the Poor

Religious|

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Devotions|

| Jesus|

* Christ the Redeemer

|

Marian|

* Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida

Culture|

| Festivals|

* Brazilian Carnival
* All Souls' Day

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Holy Week|

* Fasting and abstinence

Media|

* Radio Maria

Education|

* Centro Universitário da FEI (FEI), São Bernardo do Campo
* Jesuit School of Philosophy and Theology (FAJE), Minas Gerais
* Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro
* Universidade Católica de Pernambuco (UNICAP), Recife
* Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), São Leopoldo

* Catholicism portal
* Brazil portal

* v
* t
* e

Catholic Church in South America

Sovereign states|

* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Guyana
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Suriname
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Dependencies and
other territories

* Falkland Islands
* French Guiana
* South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

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