Suffragan diocese of Lisbon,
Portugal, established by Pope Julius III in 1550. Its first bishop
was Julian d'Alva, a Spaniard, who was transferred to Miranda in
1557. On 17 July, 1560, Andiz' de Noronha succeeded to the
diocese, but he was promoted to Placencia in 1581. Frei Amador
Arraes, the next bishop, was the author of a celebrated book of
"Dialogues"; he resigned in 1582, and retired to the
college of his order in Coimbra, where he remained till his death.
Lopo Soares de Albergaria and Frei Manoel de Gouveia died before
receiving the Bulls confirming their nomination. Diego Conra,
nephew of the Venerable Bartholomew of the Martyrs and Bishop of
Ceuta, became bishop in 1598, and died on 9 October, 1614. Among
the bishops of Portalegre during the seventeenth century was
Ricardo Russell, an Englishman, who took possession of the see on
17 September, 1671, and was subsequently transferred to Vizeu. The
present bishop is Antonio Mutinho, transferred from Caboverde in
1909. The diocese contains 197,343 Catholics, 16 Protestants, 148
parishes, 286 priests, 447 churches and chapels.