Portugal
The dictator Salazar initiated the right-wing government that controlled Portugal from 1932 until 1974. He concluded two concordats, one for mainland Portugal and a missionary accord for the Portuguese colonies. Both of these 1940 concordats were amended in 1975 after the overthrow of the authoritarian regime. Finally the 2001 Law on Religious Freedom necessitated and a new concordat whch was concluded in 2004.
- 1940 Concordat for Portugal (Article 24 amended in 1975 to allow civil divorce)
- 1940 Concordat for Portuguese colonies (Articles 26-28 amended in 1975)
- 2004 Concordat
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Our Lady of Fátima protects Portugal |
With some justification Pope Pius XII claimed that the Virgin Mary had saved Portugal (for the Church). And indeed, the timely dedication of the nation to her Sacred Heart before the 1940 concordat and a papal pilgrimmage to her shrine in Portugal before the 2004 concordat seemed calculated to help the negotiations. | |
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Salazar's concordat (1940): text |
Even Salazar was reluctant to outlaw divorce for Catholics and to cement Catholic religion classes in state schools, but the Vatican prevailed. This concordat was signed in secret in the Vatican and only announced afterwards, a procedure repeated by the President Barroso in 2004. | |
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Missionary Accord (1940): text |
Salazar put the remains of the far-flung Portuguese Empire under this concordat. After World War II, when other European countries were beginning to withdraw from their colonies, he refused to give them independence. It wasn't until after his regime was overthrown in 1974 that they got free of both Portugal and this concordat. | |
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Concordat (2004) : text |
This concordat was signed in secret in the Vatican by the Portuguese President Barroso and only announced afterwards, (a procedure repeated by the President of Brazil in 2008). The agreement introduces a church tax (Art. 26.1) and maintains the teaching in state schools of "Catholic morality" by people appointed by the bishops but paid by the state (Art. 19). |











