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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