Petrolina, Diocese of. – A city and diocese in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil.
It has a population of 160,000 inhabitants, all Catholic, distributed across 13 parishes served by 11 diocesan priests and 3 regular clergy, one seminary, one male and one female religious community (Ann. Pont., 1952, p. 317). The diocese was erected by Pope Pius XI with the bull Dominici gregis of 20 November 1923, carved out of the Diocese of Pesqueira, at the same time raising to the rank and dignity of cathedral the parish church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed into Heaven, located in Petrolina. The diocese is a suffragan of Olinda and Recife. The first bishop was Msgr. A. Malan.
BIBL.: AAS, 16 (1924), pp. 216-18; G. B. Lehmann, O Brasil Católico 1947, Juiz de Fora 1947, pp. 285-87. Virginio Battezzati