# Law of Separation of Church and State

> Portuguese anticlerical law passed in 20 April 1911

**Wikidata**: [Q10316960](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10316960)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-of-separation-of-church-and-state

## Summary
The **Law of Separation of Church and State** (Portuguese: *Lei da Separação da Igreja do Estado*) is a Portuguese anticlerical statute passed on April 20, 1911. It is a formal written document that creates law, enacted to define the relationship between the state and religion within the jurisdiction of Portugal.

## Key Facts
- **Name:** Law of Separation of Church and State
- **Alternative Title:** Lei da Separação da Igreja do Estado
- **Date of Passage:** April 20, 1911
- **Jurisdiction:** Portugal
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Subject Matter:** State and religion
- **Characterization:** Anticlerical law
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/120rg28c
- **OCLC Number:** 664802524
- **WorldCat Registry ID:** oclc/664802524
- **Wikimedia Commons Category:** Lei da Separacao do Estato das Igrejas 20 abril 1911
- **Wikipedia Presence:** Available in 3 languages (Commons, Spanish, Portuguese)

## FAQs
**What is the Law of Separation of Church and State?**
It is a Portuguese statute enacted on April 20, 1911. It serves as a formal legal document that creates law, specifically addressing the relationship between the state and religious institutions.

**What type of legal instrument is this law?**
This law is classified as a statute. A statute is a formal written document that creates law, which can include acts, executive orders, and by-laws. It functions as the concrete manifestation of statutory law.

**Is the text of this law available to the public?**
Yes. As a statute, it falls under the "edict of government doctrine" in many jurisdictions (like the U.S. and France), rendering it public domain. A digital file of the law is hosted on Wikimedia Commons.

## Why It Matters
The Law of Separation of Church and State represents a critical moment in Portuguese legal and political history. As an anticlerical statute passed in 1911, it formalized the separation between religious institutions and the Portuguese government, reshaping the role of the church in public life. As a statute, it embodies the primary mechanism through which government authority is exercised: a formal, written document that creates binding legal norms. Its existence as a public domain record ensures that citizens and scholars have unrestricted access to the legal foundations that governed this pivotal shift in state-religion relations.

## Notable For
- **Historical Significance:** Specifically enacted to separate church and state in Portugal in 1911.
- **Legal Classification:** A distinct instance of a "statute," a foundational legal concept defined as a formal written document creating law.
- **Public Accessibility:** The full text is preserved and accessible via Wikimedia Commons in PDF format.
- **Global Identification:** Assigned unique identifiers including a Google Knowledge Graph ID (/g/120rg28c) and an OCLC Number (664802524).
- **Multilingual Documentation:** Knowledge entries exist across multiple linguistic domains, including Commons, Spanish, and Portuguese Wikipedia.

## Body

### Definition and Historical Context
The Law of Separation of Church and State is a Portuguese statute passed on April 20, 1911. It is categorized as an anticlerical law, meaning it sought to reduce the power and influence of religious institutions in civic affairs. As a **statute**, it is defined as a formal written document created to establish law. This places it within a broad taxonomy of legal instruments that includes acts, executive orders, and by-laws.

The law functions as a manifestation of statutory law, comprised of legal norms. Its creation was the result of legislation, following the drafting of laws, and serves as the official record of the legal rules enacted by the Portuguese authority at that time.

### Document and Availability
The physical and digital record of this law is preserved and publicly accessible.
- **Wikimedia Commons:** The document is hosted as a PDF file titled `Lei da Separacao do Estato das Igrejas 20 abril 1911.pdf`. It is written in Portuguese.
- **Public Domain Status:** As a statute, the text is generally considered public domain. In jurisdictions like the United States, the "edict of government doctrine" dictates that official legal documents are not copyrightable, ensuring public ownership and access.

### Identifiers and Structured Data
The law is indexed in major knowledge bases and library systems, reflecting its status as a formal legal entity.
- **Wikidata:** The entity has a sitelink count of 3 and is described specifically as a "Portuguese anticlerical law passed in 20 April 1911."
- **Library Systems:** It holds the OCLC Number `664802524` and WorldCat Registry ID `oclc/664802524`.
- **Search and Knowledge Graphs:** The Google Knowledge Graph ID for this entity is `/g/120rg28c`.

### Content and Subject
The main subject of the law is "state and religion." Structurally, the law consists of "legal norms" and is classified as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." It stands as a specific instance of the broader concept of a "statute," which is the legal term for the formal expression of a rule enacted by a government.