BARRA DO PIRAÍ, DIOCESE OF. — In Brazil, State of Rio de Janeiro; erected on 4 Dec. 1922 from parishes of the diocese of Niterói, suffragan of St. Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro. In the bull of erection, instead of canons, temporary diocesan consultors are to be appointed. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Anne. On 27 Mar. 1925, 13 parishes were separated to form the diocese of Valença; it now comprises 22 parishes.
The diocese has 320,000 inhabitants, of whom 300,000 are Catholics, over an area of 10,000 sq. km.; it has 22 diocesan priests and 17 regular clergy.