Padroado

Successive popes granted wide-ranging favors and authorities to the kings, who claimed they were given irrevocable powers to establish and patronize churches and bishoprics in lands opened to Portuguese trade in South Asia.

The Padroado was the privilege, granted by the popes to the Crown of Portugal, of designating candidates for the sees and ecclesiastical benefices in the vast domains acquired through the expeditions of its navigators and captains in Africa and the East Indies.

The main cause of this regrettable change was the failure of Portugal to observe the conditions agreed upon at the time of the bestowal of the privilege.

In virtue of this interpretation the Portuguese Government contested the papal right to appoint, without its consent, missionary bishops or vicars Apostolic in countries which were never subject to its dominion, such as the greater part of India, Tong-king, Cochin-China, Siam, and especially China.

[2] As Portuguese influence in the East waned, the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith began to assume more responsibility for maintaining the missions.

[2] This was not finally resolved until 1886, when a concordat was drawn up, and a Bull ("Humanae Salutatis Auctor", 1 September 1886) issued, by which the respective jurisdictions were clarified and agreed to.

This was in line with the Second Vatican Council, in which the Holy See actively asked governments to give up and annul treaties or privileges similar to the Padroado.