Processos de Habilitação de Genere et Moribus
Item
Country
BR
Name of institution (English)
São Paulo Metropolitan Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Av. Nazaré 993, Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP 04262-100
Contact information: phone number
0055 (11) 2272 3644
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
arquivo.curia.sp@terra.com.br
Reference number
Processos de Habilitação de Genere et Moribus
Type of reference number
Call number
Title (English)
Genere et Moribus Qualification Processes
Title (official language of the state)
Processos de Habilitação de Genere et Moribus
Language of title
lat
por
Creator / accumulator
Diocese of São Paulo
Date(s)
1644/1938
Language(s)
lat
por
Extent
2,366 documents
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This collection comprises "inquirições de genere", which were mandatory inquiries that were made to prove the "purity of blood" (i.e. no Jewish ancestors) of someone who wanted access to certain offices and positions, including the priesthood. Different authorities were responsible for appointing judges who used to travel to a particular person's birthplace and then question witnesses about the person's family and public behaviour. Therefore, some of these inquiries refer to New Christians and show how some could hide their ancestry and overcome prohibitions due to their social connections and closeness to local elites. Some examples are the following:
Est. 1, gt. 1, no. 11: Inquiry "de genere" of Garcia Rodrigues, intended to allow him access to the priesthood. These inquiries began in São Paulo in 1662, where all witnesses declared that he had no Jewish ancestry. However, other documents show that Garcia Rodrigues was indeed a New Christian.
Est. 1, gt. 1, no. 83: Inquiry "de genere" of António Fernandes Soares in 1715. One of the witnesses told about a rumour that he had Jewish ancestry. The Fernandes family was an important family based in São Paulo, whose members managed to conceal their New Christian background.
Est. 1, gt. 1, no. 11: Inquiry "de genere" of Garcia Rodrigues, intended to allow him access to the priesthood. These inquiries began in São Paulo in 1662, where all witnesses declared that he had no Jewish ancestry. However, other documents show that Garcia Rodrigues was indeed a New Christian.
Est. 1, gt. 1, no. 83: Inquiry "de genere" of António Fernandes Soares in 1715. One of the witnesses told about a rumour that he had Jewish ancestry. The Fernandes family was an important family based in São Paulo, whose members managed to conceal their New Christian background.
Archival history
When the bishopric of São Paulo was founded in 1745, some of the documents of existing local ecclesiastical institutions (parishes and others) were incorporated into the archive of the new bishopric. Dom Duarte Leopoldo e Silva (1867-1938), the first archbishop, formally created the archive of the archdiocese. He was appointed in 1907, in the same year when São Paulo was elevated to metropolitan diocese. The archive was, therefore, created in the context of expanding the role of São Paulo in the ecclesiastic architecture of Brazil.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Diocese of São Paulo was erected in 1745 from territories that were previously part of the bishopric of Rio de Janeiro.
The territories placed under the jurisdiction of São Paulo included the area that stretched as far as the present-day states of Rio Grande do Sul and southern Minas Gerais.
After 1745, the diocesan map of Brazil continued to be reformed, and new divisions gradually reduced the jurisdiction of the diocese of São Paulo.
On July 7, 1908, Pope Pius X (1835-1914) constituted the Ecclesiastical Province of São Paulo, with Botucatu, Campinas, Ribeirão Prêto, São Carlos do Pinhal, Taubaté, and Curitiba as suffragan bishoprics.
New changes took place in the 20th century, while the reform of the ecclesiastic organisation continued in Brazil. In fact, from 1908 to 1958, many dioceses were founded, which successfully changed the area of the bishopric of São Paulo and its ecclesiastic province.
A few relevant changes occurred in 1958, with the foundation of new Ecclesiastical Provinces. This process disconnected from São Paulo some of the dioceses that were part of its province.
The territories placed under the jurisdiction of São Paulo included the area that stretched as far as the present-day states of Rio Grande do Sul and southern Minas Gerais.
After 1745, the diocesan map of Brazil continued to be reformed, and new divisions gradually reduced the jurisdiction of the diocese of São Paulo.
On July 7, 1908, Pope Pius X (1835-1914) constituted the Ecclesiastical Province of São Paulo, with Botucatu, Campinas, Ribeirão Prêto, São Carlos do Pinhal, Taubaté, and Curitiba as suffragan bishoprics.
New changes took place in the 20th century, while the reform of the ecclesiastic organisation continued in Brazil. In fact, from 1908 to 1958, many dioceses were founded, which successfully changed the area of the bishopric of São Paulo and its ecclesiastic province.
A few relevant changes occurred in 1958, with the foundation of new Ecclesiastical Provinces. This process disconnected from São Paulo some of the dioceses that were part of its province.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The archive is organised according to document type. Series are arranged chronologically.
Finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Metropolitano de São Paulo | Collections (official language of the state) |