The Bishop of Angra, Armando Esteves Domingues, argued that the city of Angra do Heroísmo and the Diocese should renew their “historic alliance” to respond to the new challenges facing society.

D. Armando Esteves Domingues pointed to “secularization, individualism, and social fragmentation” to argue that “in a society that seeks meaning, belonging, and values, Christian tradition can continue to be a catalyst for humanity, a space for dialogue and encounter.”

In a speech given on Thursday at the ceremony marking the 491st anniversary of Angra do Heroísmo’s elevation to city status, the Bishop of Angra assured that the Diocese “as it has always done, is able to offer this spiritual and community horizon, needing to listen, discern, and act with evangelical boldness.”

“The city, for its part, has not forgotten the roots that sustain it. The preservation of religious heritage, the appreciation of Catholic festivals and traditions, and the recognition of the Church as a social and cultural partner are essential steps for Angra to continue to be a living city, with soul, history, and a future,” he continued.

“Diocese and city, Church and community, spirituality and daily life: this is the combination that has shaped Angra over the centuries. And this is the path that is offered to us today. Hand in hand, as we have been since 1534, we continue to build the same identity—not only of the past, but above all of the future. In times of uncertainty, it has been a beacon. In times of confrontation, it has been a trench. In times of marginalization, it has been a spiritual home,“ he said.

At the conference, the Bishop of Angra praised the ‘intertwined’ nature of the city and the diocese. ”To the point where it can be said that both have grown and established themselves in symbiosis, feeding off each other over the centuries.

It is impossible to understand the identity of Angra do Heroísmo without recognizing the structuring role of the Church, both in the spiritual accompaniment of individuals and in shaping the urban, social, and cultural landscape,“ he said. ”For centuries, the Diocese played a decisive role in education, culture, and social assistance.

The Church did not limit itself to the administration of the sacraments. It became a driving force for literacy, religious instruction, institutionalized charity, and the preservation of the values that structured Azorean life. The parish network itself, which expanded at the same pace as the population, was a fundamental element in the construction of cohesive communities, reinforcing the idea of belonging and unity,” he described.

D. Armando Esteves Domingues added that “on the other hand, the city grew under the protection of this ecclesiastical presence.”

“The large churches, convents, hermitages, and chapels shaped not only the urban silhouette but also the daily lives of its inhabitants. Sacred spaces also became centers of sociability, places of encounter, sharing, and hope. Azorean religiosity, forged in the context of insularity and natural disasters, found its greatest support in the Church. The feeling of belonging to Angra was also rooted in the Christian tradition, in religious festivals, in processions, in the ringing of bells,” he explained.

However, there were “tensions” along the way. “In times of political and social conflict, such as the liberal struggles or the establishment of the Republic, the relationship between the city and the diocese experienced tensions and challenges. However, even in the most difficult times, the bond was not broken. The reforming spirit of bishops such as José Damasceno da Costa and the creation of the Diocesan Council for Assistance to Worship and the Clergy after 1911 demonstrate the Church’s ability to adapt and its desire to remain present, useful, and inspiring. It cannot be ignored that it was in the shadow of the See, and often on the margins of political power, that the flame of Christian solidarity and hope was kept alive,” he said.

The Bishop of Angra highlighted the “fundamental role” of the chapter of the Cathedral of Angra in public life over the centuries. “Members of the chapter taught at the seminary, participated in solemn events in the city, and were influential figures in public opinion. During vacant sees, the chapter took over the leadership of the diocese through the capitular vicar, ensuring not only ecclesiastical but also social stability. It also intervened in the moral formation of the population and in the liturgical regulation of the city, contributing to the cohesion between urban space and religious life,” he said.

Another legacy was left by the Seminary of Angra. “It became a center of educational and cultural excellence, with a direct impact on the city: canons from the cathedral taught there, and the population contributed with public subscriptions to its upkeep. It was a center of open reflection, especially after D. Manuel Damasceno da Costa, who opened ecclesiastical conferences to lay people as well,” he recalled.

Another example was the Azorean Institute of Culture, which, he explained, “was born in an ecclesiastical context, founded in 1955 in the city of Angra do Heroísmo on the initiative of a group of teachers from the Episcopal Seminary of Angra, who, after training abroad, wanted to modernize and revitalize the cultural environment of the Azores, which at the time was closed and isolationist.”

The Bishop of Angra added that “the Church was also a protagonist in the cultural life of the city with Catholic periodicals such as O Archivo Açoriano and O Cathólico,” which “influenced public and moral debate.”

“I would add the Boletim Eclesiástico dos Açores, founded by D. João Maria Pereira de Amaral in 1872.

It is the oldest publication in the Azores,“ he said.

D. Armando Esteves Domingues emphasized that the Diocese of Angra and the city ”grew together, sharing joys and sufferings, hopes and trials“ and that ”this common memory is an essential part of our identity.”

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADE.

You can see the entire event in Portuguese at Vitec-Azores TV