S. Bartolomeu dos Mártires

The ancient and deep roots of the Archdiocese of Braga are largely due to the action of its pastors, of which Archbishop São Bartolomeu dos Mártires stands out. Worried about the lack of knowledge of Catholic doctrine, he wrote a catechism that was distributed throughout the Archbishopric of Braga, whose reading became mandatory. The objective was to prepare the clergy and reach the simplest layers of the population in an accessible way. The activity carried out by “Frei Bartolomeu dos Mártires” in the Archbishopric of Braga was also marked by the different way he treated heretics during the inquisitorial period, adopting their correction in secret, preventing them from being sent to the Holy Office or to the episcopal courts, where they would be punished more hard.