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Principal (Portuguese:Principal,Portuguese pronunciation:[pɾĩsiˈpal];pl.Principais), or more formally,Principal of the Holy Patriarchal Church of Lisbon (Portuguese:Principal da Santa Igreja Patriarcal de Lisboa), was the honorific title granted to thecanons of the chapter of thePatriarchal See of Lisbon by thepapal bullSalvatoris nostri Mater, issued byPope Benedict XIV in 1740.[1]
The Patriarchal Chapter, comprising twenty-four Principals presided over by the Principal Dean (Principal Deão), was modelled after theCollege of Cardinals (and was indeed formally styled "College of Principals"[2]), and was similarly divided intothree orders: Principal Primaries (Principais Primários), Principal Priests (Principais Presbíteros), and Principal Deacons (Principais Diáconos). Also evoking the grandeur of the papal court, the Principals dressed in scarlet cassocks in the manner of cardinals.[3]
The title and extraordinary rights of vesture ceased to be used in 1834, following theLiberal Wars and the establishment of aliberal constitutional monarchy in the country.[4][5][6]