Diocese of Santos, Brazil 🇧🇷

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Santos / Santosen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: São Paulo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Registro (←), Campo Limpo (↖), Santo Amaro (↖), Santo André (↑), Mogi das Cruzes (↗)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora do Rosário (October 7)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: July 5 (1997)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1924.07.04: Established as Diocese of Santos / Santosen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Paulo, Diocese of Botucatu and Diocese of Taubaté and became suffragan of São Paulo)
1968.03.02: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Itapeva
1974.01.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Registro
1999.03.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Caraguatatuba

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.11.05 – ...):

Bishop Joaquim Giovanni Mol Guimarães (66)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Santos (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joaquim Giovanni Mol Guimarães (66)
(2025.11.05 – ...)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil)

Porque Deus é amor

Born:	1960.01.06 (Ponte Nova, MG, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1988.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.03.25

Priest of Salesians of Saint John Bosco (Salesians) (1988.07.16 – 1992)

Priest of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (1992 – 2006.02.11)

Titular Bishop of Galtellì (2006.02.11 – 2025.02.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (2006.02.11 – 2025.02.24)

Coadjutor Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (2025.02.24 – 2025.11.05)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (2025.11.05 – ...)

Bishop Tarcísio Scaramussa, S.D.B. (75)
(2015.05.06 – 2025.11.05)

Bishop emeritus of Santos (Brazil)

E habitou entre nós

Born:	1950.09.19 (Vargem Alta, ES, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1977.12.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.04.19

Titular Bishop of Segia (2008.01.23 – 2014.07.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of São Paulo (Brazil) (2008.01.23 – 2014.07.16)

Coadjutor Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (2014.07.16 – 2015.05.06)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (2015.05.06 – 2025.11.05)

Bishop Jacyr Francisco Braido, C.S. (85)
(2000.07.26 – 2015.05.06)

Bishop emeritus of Santos (Brazil)

Alegres na Esperança

Born:	1940.04.17 (Roca Sales, RS, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1970.02.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.04.30

Coadjutor Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (1995.02.22 – 2000.07.26)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (2000.07.26 – 2015.05.06)

Bishop David Picão
(1966.11.21 – 2000.07.26)

Omnibus Omnia Factus

Born:	1923.08.18 (Ribeirão Prêto, SP, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1948.10.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.07.31
Died:	2009.04.30 (Santos, SP, Brazil † 85)

Bishop of São João da Boa Vista (Brazil) (1960.05.14 – 1963.05.10)

Titular Bishop of Thois (1963.05.10 – 1966.11.21)

Coadjutor Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (1963.05.10 – 1966.11.21)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (1966.11.21 – 2000.07.26)

Bishop Idílio José Soares
(1943.06.12 – 1966.11.21)

Santifica-os na veridade

Born:	1887.10.26 (Limeira, SP, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1914.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1932.11.30
Died:	1969.12.10 († 82)

Bishop of Petrolina (Brazil) (1932.09.16 – 1943.06.12)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (1943.06.12 – 1966.11.21)

Titular Bishop of Vegesela in Numidia (1966.11.21 – 1969.12.10)

Bishop Paulo de Tarso Campos (later Archbishop)
(1935.06.01 – 1941.12.14)

Omnia in Christo

Born:	1895.08.24 (Jaú, SP, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1920.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.07.14
Died:	1970.03.02 (Campinas, SP, Brazil † 74)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (1935.06.01 – 1941.12.14)

Bishop of Campinas (Brazil) (1941.12.14 – 1958.04.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Piracicaba (Brazil) (1944 – 1945.06.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Campinas (Brazil) (1958.04.19 – 1968.09.19)

Titular Archbishop of Garba (1968.09.19 – 1970.03.02)

Bishop José Maria Perreira Lara
(1924.12.18 – 1934.09.28)

Born:	1886.06.03 (Resende Costa, BA, Brazil)
Ordained Priest:	1911.04.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1925.02.11
Died:	1936.08.08 (Caratinga, MG, Brazil † 50)

Bishop of Amazonas (Brazil) (1924.03.27 – 1924.12.18)

Bishop of Santos (Brazil) (1924.12.18 – 1934.09.28)

Bishop of Caratinga (Brazil) (1934.09.28 – 1936.08.08)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joaquim Giovanni Mol Guimarães (66) (2025.02.24 – 2025.11.05)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Tarcísio Scaramussa, S.D.B. (75) (2014.07.16 – 2015.05.06)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Jacyr Francisco Braido, C.S. (85) (1995.02.22 – 2000.07.26)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop David Picão (1963.05.10 – 1966.11.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Carlos Castanho de Almeida (1982.03.03 – 1987.09.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Walmor Battú Wichrowski (1958.02.14 – 1960.04.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nossa Senhora do Rosário, Santos, São Paulo
Minor Basilica: Basílica Santo Antônio do Embaré, Santos, São Paulo
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (56)

Registro (←), Campo Limpo (↖), Santo Amaro (↖), Santo André (↑), Mogi das Cruzes (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,369 km²

Population: 1,715,000 Catholics (89.8% of 1,909,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 56 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 84 priests (41 diocesan, 43 religious), 38 deacons, 150 religious (50 brothers, 100 sisters), 16 seminarians