Patriarch of Lisbon

The Patriarch of Lisbon () is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.

The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI. The title has been passed on to this day where the current patriarch is Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, appointed in 1998 by Pope John Paul II.

History

As Portugal grew in political importance and colonial possessions, the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan of Lisbon expanded, and we learn from Stadel, Compend. Geogr. Eccles. (1712), that Coimbra, Leiria, Portalegre, Elvas, Funchal, Angra, Congo, St. James of Cape Verde, São Tomé, and Baia of All Saints were suffragans of Lisbon. As a reward for assistance against the Turks, Pope Clement XI in 1708 raised the Chapel of the Royal Palace to Collegiate rank and associated with it three parishes in the dioceses of Braganza and Lamego. Later, yielding to the request of King John V, he issued the Bull "In Supremo Apostolatus Solio" (22 October 1716) — known as the Golden Bull, because the seal or bulla was affixed with gold instead of lead — giving the collegiate chapel cathedral rank, with metropolitical rights, and conferring on its titular the rank of patriarch.

The city of Lisbon was ecclesiastically divided into Eastern and Western Lisbon. The former Archbishop of Lisbon retained jurisdiction over Eastern Lisbon, and had as suffragans Guarda, Portalegre, St. James of Cape Verde, São Tomé, and São...
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