João de Sahagún (9 April 1668–12 October 1730), born João Pinto Brandão, was a Roman Catholic prelate and missionary who served as

Bishop of São Tomé e Príncipe A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

from 1709 until his death in 1730. He was a member of the

Order of Discalced Augustinians The Order of Discalced Augustinians (; abbreviation: OAD) is a mendicant order that branched off from the Order of Saint Augustine as a reform movement. History During the Counter-Reformation, there was a special interest among the Augustinian ...

. ''(in Latin)''"Bishop João de Sahagún, O.A.D."
''

Catholic-Hierarchy.org ''Catholic-Hierarchy.org'' is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Latin Church and the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches that are in full communion with Rome. The website, not officially sanctioned by the Church, is run as a private pro ...

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 4, 2017"Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe"
''GCatholic.org''. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved August 25, 2016

Early life

João de Sahagún was born on 9 Apr 1668 to Pedro Pinto Cunha Brandão and Serafina de Andrade, an important family of

Melres Melres is a town and a former civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

. As the eldest son, he was introduced early to religious studies. By the age of 13, he was enrolled at the Colégio dos Órfãos in Porto, where he distinguished himself in Latin and rhetoric, capturing the attention of the Augustinian monks. At the age of 25, João entered the Order of Discalced Augustinians at the Convento de Nossa Senhora da Piedade in Santarém. On July 22, 1693, he made his religious vows and assumed the name João de Sahagún in honor of the Catholic saint and martyr, Saint John of Sahagún.

Missionary work in São Tomé

Frei João de Sahagún's dedication to religious life and scholarly pursuits made him a respected member of his order, and his desire to serve in missionary work grew stronger over time. After his father’s death, he renounced his family inheritance, giving it to his sister Guiomar, and set sail for São Tomé. There, he served as a missionary for seven years before being appointed

on 22 Jul 1709 by

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

. In 1710, he was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

bishop. Upon his appointment, he worked to address the severe divisions within the local clergy and clergy-related disputes that plagued the island's religious community. However, this proved to be a significant challenge, and in 1714, he traveled to Lisbon to request his resignation from the position. His appeal was denied, and he returned to his post in São Tomé. Upon his return, the island of São Tomé faced frequent attacks from French forces leading to the destruction of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, adjacent to the convent of the Augustinian Order. João took the lead in the church's reconstruction efforts in 1719. He served as Bishop of São Tomé e Príncipe until his death on 12 Oct 1730.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sahagún, João de 18th-century Roman Catholic bishops in São Tomé and Príncipe Bishops appointed by Pope Clement XI 1668 births 1730 deaths People from Gondomar, Portugal Discalced Augustinian bishops Portuguese Roman Catholic bishops in Africa Roman Catholic bishops of São Tomé and Príncipe