▁São ▁João ▁Bat ista . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁Est ab lished ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁as ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁N iter ó i , ▁on ▁territory ▁split ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁then ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁São ▁Sebast ião ▁do ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro ▁( now ▁Metropolitan ) ▁ ▁Lost ▁territ ories ▁repeatedly ▁: ▁on ▁ 1 8 9 5 . 1 1 . 1 5 : ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Esp í rito ▁Santo , ▁on ▁ 1 9 2 2 . 1 2 . 0 4 ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Bar ra ▁do ▁P ira í ▁and ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Cam pos ▁( now ▁its ▁Su ff rag an ) ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 9 4 6 . 0 4 . 1 3 ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Pet ropol is ▁( now ▁its ▁Su ff rag an ) ▁ ▁March ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 : ▁Prom oted ▁as ▁Metropolitan ▁Arch di oc ese ▁of ▁N iter ó i ▁/ ▁Nic ther oy ▁/ ▁Nic ther o yen ( s is ) ▁( Lat in ), ▁having ▁lost ▁territory ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Nova ▁I gu a çu . ▁ ▁Statistics ▁ ▁As ▁per ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁it ▁past or ally ▁served ▁ 1 , 2 2 8 , 0 0 0 ▁C athol ics ▁( 5 3 . 8 % ▁of ▁ 2 , 2 8 3 , 0 0 0