The Territorial Prelature of São Félix (do Araguaia) () is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

territorial prelature A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the powers of self-government, ...

in the Brazilian state of

Mato Grosso Mato Grosso ( – ) is one of the states of Brazil, the List of Brazilian states by area, third largest by area, located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible ...

. It is a suffragan in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches, including those of both Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity, that have traditional hierarchical structures. An ecclesiastical province consist ...

of the Metropolitan of Archbishop of Cuiabá. Its cathedral see, Catedral Prelatícia Nossa Senhora da Assunção, is located in the city of

São Félix do Araguaia São Félix do Araguaia is a municipality in the state of Mato Grosso in the Central-West Region of Brazil. The city is served by São Félix do Araguaia Airport. See also *List of municipalities in Mato Grosso This is a list of the municipal ...

. On 21 March 2012,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

appointed as the Prelate of São Félix Bishop

Adriano Ciocca Vasino Adriano Ciocca Vasino (born July 8, 1949) is an Italian bishop in the Catholic Church. On 21 March 2012 he became Prelate of São Félix do Araguaia, Brazil. Biography Adriano Ciocca Vasino was born on July 8, 1949, in Borgosesia, in the Roma ...

, who had previously served as the Bishop of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Floresta The Roman Catholic Diocese of Floresta () is a diocese located in the city of Floresta, Pernambuco, Floresta in the ecclesiastical province of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olinda e Recife, Olinda e Recife in Brazil. History * February 15, 1964: ...

Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...

. Bishop Ciocca Vasino demissioned on 13 March 2024 and

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

named as new bishop father Lucio Nicoletto

History

* On 13 May 1969, the Territorial Prelature of São Félix was established from the Territorial Prelature of Cristalândia, the

Territorial Prelature of Registro do Araguaia The Diocese of Guiratinga (Dioecesis Guiratingensis) was a former ecclesiastical circumscription of the Catholic Church in Brazil, belonging to the Ecclesiastical Province of Cuiabá and the West II Regional Bishops' Council of the National Confer ...

(later promoted to Diocese of Guiratinga and suppressed) and the

Territorial Prelature of Santíssima Conceição do Araguaia A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal. In international relations, international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the po ...

(later renamed Marabá and promoted to a suffragan diocese).

Leadership

* Bishop Pere Casaldàliga i Pla, C.M.F. (27 August 1971 – 2 February 2005) * Bishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, O.F.M. (2 February 2005 – 21 September 2011), appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Brasilia **

Apostolic Administrator An apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...

: Bishop Eugène Lambert Adrian Rixen of

Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian States of Brazil, state located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District (Brazil), Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Ge ...

(21 September 2011 – 21 March 2012) * Bishop

(21 March 2012 – 13 March 2024) * Bishop Lucio Nicoletto (13 March 2024 - present)

References

External links

GCatholic.org, with more extensive prelate biographies

Pelature website
Roman Catholic dioceses in Brazil Christian organizations established in 1969 São Félix, Territorial Prelature of Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century Territorial prelatures {{Brazil-RC-diocese-stub