# Diocese of Santarém

> former diocese in Brazil (1979-2019)

**Wikidata**: [Q105515141](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105515141)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/diocese-of-santarem

## Summary
The Diocese of Santarém was a Roman Catholic diocese in Brazil that existed from October 16, 1979, until its dissolution on November 6, 2019. It was elevated to an archdiocese in 2019, marking a significant administrative reorganization within the Catholic Church in Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Inception Date**: October 16, 1979
- **Dissolved Date**: November 6, 2019
- **Country**: Brazil
- **Predecessor Entity**: Prelature Nullius of Santarém (replaced in 1979)
- **Successor Entity**: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santarém (established in 2019)
- **Instance Of**: Former entity, Diocese of the Catholic Church
- **Wikidata Description**: Former diocese in Brazil (1979–2019)
- **Classification**: Subclass of "entity" with "existence" restricted to the past
- **Related Global Aliases**: "Defunct entity," "discontinued," "antigua entidad" (Spanish), "ancienne entité" (French), "過去のエンティティ" (Japanese)

## FAQs
**When did the Diocese of Santarém operate?**  
The diocese was active from its establishment on October 16, 1979, until its dissolution on November 6, 2019, spanning exactly 40 years.

**Why was the diocese dissolved?**  
It was dissolved as part of an ecclesiastical restructuring, during which it was elevated to the status of an archdiocese, becoming the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santarém.

**What entities preceded and succeeded the diocese?**  
The diocese replaced the Prelature Nullius of Santarém in 1979 and was itself replaced by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santarém in 2019.

**How is the diocese classified in knowledge systems?**  
It is categorized as a "former entity" due to its terminated status and as a "diocese of the Catholic Church" reflecting its religious administrative role.

## Why It Matters
The Diocese of Santarém represents a critical phase in the organizational evolution of the Catholic Church in Brazil. Its 40-year existence and subsequent elevation to an archdiocese highlight the dynamic nature of ecclesiastical administration in response to regional growth and pastoral needs. This restructuring underscores the Church’s adaptability, ensuring alignment with modern administrative frameworks while maintaining continuity in spiritual leadership. For historians and scholars, the diocese serves as a case study in institutional transformation, illustrating how religious entities reconfigure to address contemporary challenges.

## Notable For
- **Precise Operational Span**: Active for exactly 40 years (1979–2019), a rare exact duration for such entities.
- **Elevation to Archdiocese**: Unique transition from diocese to archdiocese status, reflecting significant growth in the region.
- **Direct Succession**: Clear predecessor (Prelature Nullius) and successor (Archdiocese of Santarém) entities, demonstrating linear institutional continuity.
- **Multilingual Taxonomic Recognition**: Included in global knowledge systems with aliases in six languages, ensuring cross-cultural academic reference.

## Body

### History
The Diocese of Santarém was established on October 16, 1979, succeeding the Prelature Nullius of Santarém. It operated for four decades until its dissolution on November 6, 2019, when it was reorganized into the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santarém. This transition marked a rare instance of a diocese being elevated to an archdiocese, signifying the region’s increased prominence within the Catholic Church.

### Ecclesiastical Context
As a diocese, it functioned as a mid-level administrative unit within the Catholic Church, overseeing pastoral activities in its designated territory. Its elevation to an archdiocese in 2019 reflected broader ecclesiastical restructuring efforts, aimed at optimizing administrative efficiency and responding to demographic shifts in Brazil’s Catholic population.

### Predecessor and Successor Entities
- **Predecessor**: The **Prelature Nullius of Santarém** preceded the diocese, operating until 1979. A prelature nullius is a unique ecclesiastical jurisdiction form, often serving remote or specialized regions.  
- **Successor**: The **Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santarém**, established in 2019, assumed the diocese’s territorial and pastoral responsibilities, now holding higher metropolitan authority over suffragan dioceses.

### Classification and Taxonomy
The diocese is classified under two primary categories:  
1. **Former Entity**: Reflecting its terminated operational status, with "existence" strictly confined to the past (1979–2019).  
2. **Diocese of the Catholic Church**: Denoting its role as a canonical administrative division led by a bishop.  
This dual classification ensures its accurate placement within historical and ecclesiastical records, avoiding conflation with active or proposed entities.

### Geographic and Administrative Scope
Based in **Brazil**, the diocese’s jurisdiction aligned with regional boundaries, serving a specific Catholic population. Its dissolution and replacement by an archdiocese signaled expanded administrative responsibilities, often accompanied by territorial adjustments to accommodate growing pastoral needs.

### Structural Properties
- **Wikidata ID**: Q64139102 (as a former entity)  
- **BabelNet ID**: 00101101a (related match)  
- **Commons Category**: "No longer existent subjects"  
- **Key Relationships**:  
  - **Replaces**: Prelature Nullius of Santarém (1979)  
  - **Replaced By**: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santarém (2019)  
  - **Part Of**: The broader "past" temporal category  
  - **Different From**: Current entities, hypothetical entities, and replaced entities  

### Legacy and Documentation
The diocese is documented in multilingual knowledge systems, with aliases such as "antigua entidad" (Spanish) and "過去のエンティティ" (Japanese), ensuring global academic accessibility. Its dissolution date (2019-11-06) is precisely recorded, providing a clear endpoint for historical research and distinguishing it from entities with ambiguous or gradual closures. This clarity aids scholars in tracing the evolution of Catholic administrative structures in Brazil.