{{Short description|Roman Catholic diocese in Portugal}} {{Infobox diocese | jurisdiction = Diocese | name = Leiria–Fátima | latin = Dioecesis Leiriensis–Fatimensis | local = Diocese de Leiria–Fátima | image = Sedeleiria.JPG | image_size = 240px | image_alt = | caption = The Episcopal Cathedral of Leiria–Fátima <!---- Locations ----> | country = {{flag|Portugal}} | territory = | province = Lisbon | metropolitan = Patriarchate of Lisbon | archdeaconries = | deaneries = | subdivisions = | coordinates = <!-- Use {{coord}} --> <!---- Statistics ----> | area_km2 = 1,700 | area_sqmi = <!-- Area in square miles, automatically converted --> | area_footnotes = | population = 290,000 | population_as_of = 2021 | catholics = 248,500 | catholics_percent = 85.7 | parishes = 73 <!-- Number of parishes in the diocese --> | churches = <!-- Number of churches in the diocese --> | congregations = <!-- Number of congregations in the diocese --> | schools = <!-- Number of church supported schools in the diocese --> | members = <!-- Number of members in the diocese --> <!---- Information ----> | denomination = Catholic | sui_iuris_church = Latin Church | rite = Roman Rite | established = 17 January 1918 | cathedral = Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Leiria | cocathedral = | patron = Our Lady of Fátima<br>St Augustine of Hippo | patron_title = <!-- Use to override the default label "Patron saint" --> | priests = 89 (Diocesan)<br>69 (Religious Orders) <!-- Number of priests in the diocese --> <!---- Current leadership ----> | pope = {{Incumbent pope}} <!-- DO NOT CHANGE. This will update the Popes Automatically as they change --> | patriarch = | major_archbishop = | bishop = José Ornelas Carvalho, S.C.I. | bishop_title = <!-- Type of ordinary: i.e. Bishop or Archbishop. Default is Bishop --> | metro_archbishop = Rui I | coadjutor = | suffragans = <!-- List most senior first (usually reckoned by date of consecration); use | suffragan = for one --> | auxiliary_bishops = <!-- List most senior first (usually reckoned by date of consecration) --> | apostolic_admin = | vicar_general = | episcopal_vicar = | archdeacons = <!-- List most senior first (usually reckoned by date of first collation); use | archdeacon = for one--> | emeritus_bishops = Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva <small>Bishop Emeritus (1993-2006)</small><br>António Augusto dos Santos Marto<small>Bishop Emeritus (2006-2022)</small> <!---- Map ----> | map = Diócesis de Leiria-Fátima.svg | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of the Diocese of Leiria–Fátima <!---- Website ----> | website = [http://www.leiria-fatima.pt/ Website of the Diocese] | footnotes = }} The '''Diocese of Leiria–Fátima''' ({{langx|la|Dioecesis Leiriensis–Fatimensis}}) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic church in Portugal. It is suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Patriarchate of Lisbon.<ref>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dleir.html ''Catholic Hierarchy'' page]</ref>
The main church of the episcopal see is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception, in Leiria. It also has two minor basilicas, both in Fátima: the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, and also a World Heritage Site: the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory, in Batalha, as a decommissioned former Cathedral (now ruined): Church of Our Lady of Pena.
== History == * May 22, 1545: Established as '''Diocese of Leiria''', on territory split off from the Diocese of Coimbra * In 1585 it gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lisboa, again on 1614.10.09 * Suppressed on September 30, 1881, its territories being reassigned (back) to Patriarchal See of Lisboa and to Diocese of Coimbra * Restored on January 17, 1918 as Diocese of Leiria, regaining territories from Patriarchal See of Lisboa and Diocese of Coimbra * On March 25, 1957 it gained territory from Patriarchal See of Lisboa * Enjoyed Papal visits from Pope Paul VI in May 1967 and Pope John Paul II in May 1982, May 1991 and May 2000. * Renamed on May 13, 1984 as '''Diocese of Leiria–Fátima''', however without a co-cathedral.<ref>[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/leir0.htm Diocese of Leiria – Fátima, Portugal]</ref> * Enjoyed Papal visits from Pope Benedict XVI in May 2010 and Pope Francis in May 2017. * Storm Kristin damaged the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception on 28 January 2026. <ref>{{cite web |title=Sé de Leiria encerrada temporariamente devido a danos provocados pela tempestade Kristin |url=https://www.leiria-fatima.pt/se-de-leiria-encerrada-temporariamente-devido-a/ |website=Diocese of Leiria-Fátima |access-date=19 March 2026}}</ref>
== Statistics == As per 2014, it pastorally served 266,792 Catholics (91.6% of 291,144 total) on 1,700 km<sup>2</sup> in 75 parishes and 6 missions with 156 priests (92 diocesan, 64 religious), 767 lay religious (77 brothers, 690 sisters) and 6 seminarians.
== Bishops ==
===Bishops of Leiria=== * Brás de Barros, C.R.S.A. (1545-1556) * Gaspar do Casal, O.E.S.A. (1557-1579) * António Pinheiro (1579-1582) * Pedro de Castilho (1583-1604) * Martim Afonso Mexia (1605-1615) * António de Santa Maria (1616-1623) * Francisco de Menezes (1625-1627) * Dinis de Melo e Castro (1627-1636) * Pedro Barbosa de Eça (1636-1640) * Pedro Vieira da Silva (1670-1676) * Domingos de Gusmão, O.P. (1677-1678) * José de Lencastre, O.Carm. (1681-1694) * Álvaro de Abranches e Noronha (1694-1746) * Joao de Nossa Senhora (1746-1760) * Miguel de Bulhoes e Sousa (1761-1779) * Lourenco de Lancastre (1780-1790) * Manuel de Aguiar (1790-1815) * Joao Inacio de Fonseca Manso (1818-1834) * Guilherme Henriques de Carvalho (1943-1845) * Manuel José da Costa (1846-1851) * Joaquim Ferreira Ferraz (1852-1873) * José Alves Correia da Silva (1920-1957) * João Pereira Venâncio, O.R.C. (1958-1972) * Alberto Cosme do Amaral (1972-1984)
===Bishops of Leiria-Fatima=== * Alberto Cosme do Amaral (13 May 1984 – 2 February 1993) * Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva (2 February 1993 – 22 April 2006) * António Augusto dos Santos Marto (22 April 2006 – 28 January 2022)<ref name=ornelas/> * José Ornelas Carvalho, S.C.I. (28 January 2022<ref name=ornelas>{{cite news | date = 28 January 2022 | url = https://agencia.ecclesia.pt/portal/leiria-fatima-d-antonio-marto-elogia-sucessor-e-destaca-alinhamento-com-o-papa-francisco/ | title =Leiria-Fátima: D. António Marto elogia sucessor e destaca alinhamento com o Papa | language = pt | access-date = 28 January 2022 | website = Agência Ecclesia }}</ref> – present)
== See also== * List of Catholic dioceses in Portugal * Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary (Fátima) * Basilica of the Holy Trinity (Fátima) * Our Lady of Fátima * Sanctuary of Fátima
== Notes == <references/>
== Sources and external links == * [http://www.leiria-fatima.pt/ Diocese of Leiria-Fátima] – Official website * [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/leir0.htm GCatholic, with Google map - data for alls sections]
{{R-C dioceses in Portugal}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leiria-Fatima, Roman Catholic Diocese}} Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Portugal Category:Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Lisbon