Carlos Duarte Costa - Death and Legacy

Death and Legacy

Duarte Costa died on March 26, 1961 (Palm Sunday), in Rio de Janeiro at 72 years of age. At that time, the ICAB had 50 priests and 37 bishops, with many of the congregations meeting in private homes.

The bishops consecrated by Duarte Costa went on to consecrate dozens of additional bishops, many of whom had only tenuous relationships with the Brazilian church. Bishops tracing their apostolic succession back to Duarte Costa have formed numerous other independent Catholic denominations in the United States, Europe, and Latin America, most of which have no formal ties to the Brazilian church. These vagrant "bishops" are not considered valid by the Brazilian Church due to a defect in intention. Only those bishops aligned with the Brazilian Communion are considered valid. Even bishops in the WCCAC (Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches) have all been consecrated sub conditione to ensure a valid lineage.

On July 4, 1970, the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church acknowledged Duarte Costa's work for the poor and the church by granting him the title "Saint Carlos of Brazil".

In 2009, a movement began within the churches to declare the episcopal orders of the Roman Catholic Church invalid by the use of the 1968 formula due to a substantial change in form which no longer reflects the effect of the sacrament.