Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on various Brazilian dioceses

Olinda - Ceará (Fortaleza) 1854-1915
Olinda - Paraíba 1892 - 1914

"The Diocese of Olinda comprehended the whole territory of the states of Alagoas, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. The Diocese of Ceará was created by Pius IX bull "Pro animarum salute" of July 1854, including all the state of Ceará, and eventually was elevated to Archdiocese (Archdiocese of Fortaleza) in November 10, 1915 by means of the bull "Catholicae Religiones bonon", having as suffragans the dioceses of Crato (10/20/1914) and Sobral (11/10/1915) and being detached from the Metrolitan Province of Olinda; similarly, the diocese of Paraíba was created in April 1892 by Leo XII's bull "Ad universas orbis Ecclesias", having being elevated to Archdiocese in February 6, 1914 through Pius X bull "Maius Catholicae Religionis incrementum" by its detachment from the Province of Olinda. It preserved its original name, even before the change of the name of the capital city of the state from Paraíba to João Pessoa."

The responsible for the information is Dom João Jorge Correa Filho, officer of the Bureau for Ecclesiastical History of the Ceará, of the Archdiocese of Fortaleza. As sources, he mentions Livro de apontamentos sobre o seminário e sobre outras instituições eclesiásticas da Diocese do Ceará (Fortaleza, 1894) and the Anuário Católico do Brasil (CERIS, Rio de Janeiro, 1997).

- Information from H.E. the Archbishop of Fortaleza, Dom José António Tosi Marques, to Mr. Decio Orlandi (October 2000)

- CT