LAJES, DIOCESE of. - City and diocese in the State of S. Caterina in Brazil, suffragan of Florianopolis.
The diocese has an area of 40,241 sq. km. and comprises the whole plateau of S. Caterina, with the municipalities of L., S. Gioachino, Curitibanos, Porto Unione, Canoinha, Campos Novos, Rio Cacciatore, Concordia, Bom Retiro, Joaçaba, and Videvia. The diocese has a population of 447,848 inhabitants, of whom 412,443 are Catholics, distributed among 32 parishes, with 24 diocesan and 79 regular priests; one seminary; it has 27 male and 45 female religious communities (1950).
The diocese was created by Pope Pio XI through the apostolic constitution Inter praecipuas of 17 Jan. 1927, by separation from the diocese of Florianopolis, which was raised to metropolitan rank; the church of the B. M. Vergine Gaudiosa in the city of L. was granted the title and dignity of cathedral. The same Pontiff later, by the apostolic constitution Ad maius christifidelium bonum, of 9 Dec. 1933, detached from the diocese of L. certain parishes in order to erect the prelature nullius of Palma.