Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar

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Bishop(s) Medardo Luis Luzardo Romero, Archbishop Suffragan Dioceses Ciudad Guayana Maturín

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 21 June 1958 Metropolitan See Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Venezuela Square Kilometers: 109,769 (42,398 Square Miles) Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Apartado 43, Avda. Andres Eloy Blanco c. Avda. Naiguata, Ciudad Bolivar 8001, Edo. Bolivar, Venezuela Telephone: (0285)654.49.60 Fax: 654.08.21

Historical Details

• Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana
  • Latin Name: Sancti Thomae in Guayensis
  • Erected: 20 May 1790
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
  • Country: Venezuela

• Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
  • Latin Name: Civitatis Bolivarensis
  • Name Changed: 2 January 1953
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
  • Country: Venezuela

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Francisco de Ibarra y Herrera † (19 Dec 1791 Appointed - 14 Dec 1798 Appointed, Bishop of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
• José Antonio García Mohedano † (11 Aug 1800 Appointed - 17 Oct 1804 Died)
• José Bentura Cabello † ( 1809 Appointed - 1817 Died)
• Mariano Talavera y Garcés † (15 Dec 1828 Appointed - 1842 Resigned)
• Mariano Fernández Fortique † (12 Jul 1841 Appointed - 6 Feb 1854 Resigned)
• José Manuel Arroyo Niño † (19 Jun 1856 Appointed - 30 Nov 1884 Died)
• Manuel Felipe Rodríguez Delgado † (30 Jul 1885 Appointed - 13 Dec 1887 Died)
• Antonio María Durán † (25 Sep 1891 Appointed - 18 Jul 1917 Died)
• Sixto Sosa Díaz † (14 Jun 1915 Appointed - 16 Jun 1923 Appointed, Bishop of Cumaná)
• Miguel Antonio Mejía † (19 Jun 1923 Appointed - 8 Oct 1947 Died)
• Juan José Bernal Ortiz † (21 Oct 1949 Appointed - 25 Jul 1965 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Los Teques)
• Crisanto Darío Mata Cova † (30 Apr 1966 Appointed - 26 May 1986 Retired)
• Medardo Luis Luzardo Romero (26 May 1986 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana
20 May 1790	Erected	Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)	Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana (erected)
Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
2 January 1953	Name Changed	Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
7 June 1954	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar (Anzoátegui)	Diocese of Barcelona (erected)
24 May 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar (Monagas)	Diocese of Maturín (erected)
Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
21 June 1958	Elevated	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar	Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
20 August 1979	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar	Diocese of Ciudad Guayana (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Santo Tomás de Guayana
1950	378,000	385,000	98.2%	18	12	30	12,600				30	ap1951
Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
1966	235,800	263,000	89.7%	22	21	43	5,483		21	75	21	ap1967
1970	305,000	330,000	92.4%	22	26	48	6,354		28	96	27	ap1971
1976	373,000	406,665	91.7%	23	28	51	7,313		37	108	34	ap1977
1980	243,000	269,762	90.1%	18	13	31	7,838	3	14	51	27	ap1981
1990	300,000	320,000	93.8%	14	8	22	13,636		9	70	16	ap1991
1999	380,000	405,000	93.8%	17	11	28	13,571		11	63	23	ap2000
2000	460,750	475,000	97.0%	18	11	29	15,887		11	70	23	ap2001
2001	487,000	500,000	97.4%	21	14	35	13,914		14	70	23	ap2002
2002	487,000	500,000	97.4%	20	14	34	14,323		14	67	24	ap2003
2003	490,000	503,000	97.4%	19	13	32	15,312		13	69	24	ap2004
2004	500,000	516,000	96.9%	22	13	35	14,285		13	66	24	ap2005
2006	547,000	570,000	96.0%	19	13	32	17,093	2	13	53	25	ap2007

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops

• José Manuel Arroyo Niño † (Bishop: 19 Jun 1856 to 30 Nov 1884)
• José Bentura Cabello † (Bishop: 1809 to 1817)
• Juan José Bernal Ortiz † (Bishop: 21 Oct 1949; Archbishop: 21 Jun 1958 to 25 Jul 1965)
• Antonio María Durán † (Bishop: 25 Sep 1891 to 18 Jul 1917)
• Mariano Fernández Fortique † (Bishop: 12 Jul 1841 to 6 Feb 1854)
• José Antonio García Mohedano † (Bishop: 11 Aug 1800 to 17 Oct 1804)
• Francisco de Guruceaga Iturriza (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 Mar 1967 to 18 Jun 1969)
• Francisco de Ibarra y Herrera † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1791 to 14 Dec 1798)
• Medardo Luis Luzardo Romero (Archbishop: 26 May 1986)
• Tomás Enrique Márquez Gómez † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Jun 1963 to 30 Nov 1966)
• Crisanto Darío Mata Cova † (Archbishop: 30 Apr 1966 to 26 May 1986)
• Miguel Antonio Mejía † (Bishop: 19 Jun 1923 to 8 Oct 1947)
• José de Jesús Nuñez Viloria (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Jan 1982 to 13 Jan 1987)
• Manuel Felipe Rodríguez Delgado † (Bishop: 30 Jul 1885 to 13 Dec 1887)
• Sixto Sosa Díaz † (Apostolic Administrator: 14 Jun 1915; Bishop: 5 Dec 1918 to 16 Jun 1923)
• Mariano Talavera y Garcés † (Vicar Apostolic: 15 Dec 1828 to 1842)