Bishop Pedro da Silva Sampaio worked to reconstruct the Cathedral of Salvador

Bishop Pedro da Silva Sampaio served as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of São Salvador from 1634 to 1649. The Diocese of São Salvador da Bahia reports that his administration focused on restoring the cathedral, organizing religious life in the capital, and providing pastoral care to the clergy.

Born in Guarda, Portugal, on September 6, 1572, Sampaio studied civil law at the University of Salamanca and earned a doctorate in canon law from the University of Coimbra in 1598. He served as a prosecutor and deputy for the Inquisition in Évora and Lisbon between 1603 and 1617.

Pope Urban VIII confirmed Sampaio's appointment to the Diocese of São Salvador on September 6, 1632. Following his consecration as bishop in Lisbon in February 1633, he took canonical possession of the diocese on May 19, 1634.