PINHEIRO

The territory of the prelature extends for 44,463 sq. km. between the Bay of São Marcos on the Atlantic and the Rio Garupy. It has a population of 169,820 inhabitants, of whom 140,000 are Catholics. It comprises 8 parishes served by 1 secular priest and 10 regular clergy, and 4 male religious communities (Ann. Pont., 1951, p. 632). The prelature was created by Pope Pius XII with the apostolic constitution *Ad maius Christifidelium* of 22 July 1939, by separating it from the archdiocese of São Luís do Maranhão and the prelature nullius of São José de Grajaú, elevating to the rank and dignity of a prelature the church dedicated to St Ignatius of Loyola in the city of Pinheiro. The prelature is a suffragan of São Luís do Maranhão. In the city of Alcântara, formerly the seat of the Captaincy of Cunha, the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is notable.