Diocese of Socorro y San Gil

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Bishop(s) Ismael Rueda Sierra, Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Name Changed: 19 January 1928 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bucaramanga Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Colombia Square Kilometers: 12,250 (4,731 Square Miles) Mailing Address: Carrera 9, N. 12-42, San Gil [Santander], Colombia Telephone: (977) 724-3011 Fax: 724-2204

Historical Details

• Diocese of Socorro
  • Latin Name: Succursensis
  • Erected: 20 March 1895
  • Country: Colombia

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Evaristo Blanco † (9 Apr 1897 Appointed - 27 Mar 1909 Appointed, Bishop of Nueva Pamplona)
• Francesco Cristoforo Toro † (18 Oct 1910 Appointed - 16 Dec 1913 Appointed, Bishop of Santa Marta)
• Antonio Vincenzo Arenas † (28 May 1914 Appointed - 12 Jul 1922 Died)
• Leonida Medina † (7 Mar 1923 Appointed - 19 Jul 1947 Retired)
• Angel Maria Ocampo Berrio, S.J. † (19 Jul 1947 Succeeded - 6 Dec 1950 Appointed, Bishop of Tunja)
• Aníbal Muñoz Duque † (8 Apr 1951 Appointed - 18 Dec 1952 Appointed, Bishop of Bucaramanga)
• Pedro José Rivera Mejía † (20 Feb 1953 Appointed - 25 Oct 1975 Resigned)
• Ciro Alfonso Gómez Serrano † (25 Oct 1975 Succeeded - 19 Jan 1980 Died)
• Víctor Manuel López Forero (6 Dec 1980 Appointed - 7 Jun 1985 Appointed, Bishop of Colombia, Military)
• Jorge Leonardo Gómez Serna, O.P. (6 Mar 1986 Appointed - 3 Nov 2001 Appointed, Bishop of Magangué)
• Ismael Rueda Sierra (27 Jun 2003 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Socorro
20 March 1895	Erected	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona	Diocese of Socorro (erected)
Diocese of Socorro y San Gil
19 January 1928	Name Changed	Diocese of Socorro	Diocese of Socorro y San Gil
2 April 1928	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona Diocese of Socorro y San Gil	Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena (erected)
14 May 2003	Territory Lost	Diocese of Socorro y San Gil	Diocese of Vélez (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 Socorro y San Gil
1950	345,406	345,546	100.0%	60	25	85	4,063		47	209	50	ap1951
1966	418,748	424,159	98.7%	78	23	101	4,146		23	215	60	ap1967
1970	402,000	410,000	98.0%	93	13	106	3,792		19	318	59	ap1971
1976	300,000	390,000	76.9%	85	6	91	3,296		8	352	64	ap1977
1980	460,500	462,600	99.5%	82	7	89	5,174		9	260	64	ap1981
1990	397,000	407,000	97.5%	94	12	106	3,745		14	309	69	ap1991
1999	429,350	445,700	96.3%	127	8	135	3,180		16	257	73	ap2000
2000	429,350	445,700	96.3%	130	8	138	3,111		16	257	73	ap2001
2001	429,350	445,700	96.3%	133	8	141	3,045		16	257	73	ap2002
2002	426,279	439,479	97.0%	138	6	144	2,960		13	219	73	ap2003
2003	255,217	255,677	99.8%	110	4	114	2,238		11	168	46	ap2004
2004	246,749	254,381	97.0%	87	4	91	2,711		7	164	46	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops

• Antonio Vincenzo Arenas † (Bishop: 28 May 1914 to 12 Jul 1922)
• Evaristo Blanco † (Bishop: 9 Apr 1897 to 27 Mar 1909)
• José Joaquín Flórez Hernández † (Priest: 21 Jul 1940 to 7 Mar 1955)
• Jorge Leonardo Gómez Serna, O.P. (Bishop: 6 Mar 1986 to 3 Nov 2001)
• Ciro Alfonso Gómez Serrano † (Priest: 7 Dec 1941 to 8 Apr 1961; Coadjutor Bishop: 24 Jul 1972; Bishop: 25 Oct 1975 to 19 Jan 1980)
• Víctor Manuel López Forero (Bishop: 6 Dec 1980 to 7 Jun 1985)
• Leonida Medina † (Bishop: 7 Mar 1923 to 19 Jul 1947)
• Aníbal Muñoz Duque † (Bishop: 8 Apr 1951 to 18 Dec 1952)
• Angel Maria Ocampo Berrio, S.J. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 23 Jun 1942; Bishop: 19 Jul 1947 to 6 Dec 1950)
• Pedro José Rivera Mejía † (Bishop: 20 Feb 1953 to 25 Oct 1975)
• Ismael Rueda Sierra (Bishop: 27 Jun 2003)
• Francesco Cristoforo Toro † (Bishop: 18 Oct 1910 to 16 Dec 1913)