The Military Ordinariate of Portugal ( pt, Ordinariato Castrense de Portugal) is a

military ordinariate A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church, of the Latin or an Eastern church, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation. Until 1986, they were called "military ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Immediately subject to the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

, it provides pastoral care to Roman Catholics serving in the

Portuguese Armed Forces The Portuguese Armed Forces ( pt, Forças Armadas) are the military of Portugal. They include the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the other unified bodies and the three service branches: Portuguese Navy, Portuguese Army and Portuguese Air ...

and their families.

History

It was established as a military vicariate 29 May 1966, and was elevated to a military ordinariate on 21 July 1986.

Office holders

Military vicars

Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira, GCC, GCSE, GCIH (29 November 1888, Lousado, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal – 2 August 1977, Buraca, Amadora, Portugal) was a Portuguese cardinal who served as Patriarch of Lisbon from 1929 to 1971. He was the ...

(appointed 1966 – retired 1972) *

António Ribeiro '' Dom'' António II Ribeiro (21 May 1928 – 24 March 1998) was a Portuguese cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, who was Patriarch of Lisbon from 1971 until his death in 1998. Born at São Clemente de Basto, Celorico de Basto, son of Jos� ...

(appointed 24 January 1972 – became Military Ordinary 21 July 1986)

Military ordinaries

(appointed 21 July 1986 – died 24 March 1998) * Januário Torgal Mendes Ferreira (2001–2013) * Manuel da Silva Rodrigues Linda (2013–2018) * Rui Manuel Sousa Valério (2018 -)

References

Ordinariato Castrense
(Official website)

(Catholic-Hierarchy)

(GCatholic.org) {{authority control

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...