Chihuahua (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Constancio Miranda Wechmann, Archbishop
José Fernández Arteaga, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 22 November 1958
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Chihuahua
Country: México
Square Kilometers: 53,958 (20,841 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Norte
Official Web Site: http://www.arquichi.org.mx/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Av. Cuauhtémoc 1828, 31020 Chihuahua, Chih., México
Telephone: (614)410-32-02/3
Fax: 410-56-21

Historical Details

Diocese of Chihuahua
- Latin Name: Chihuahuensis
- Erected: 23 June 1891
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Durango
- State: Chihuahua
- Country: México

Past and Present Ordinaries

José de Jesús Ortíz y Rodríguez † (15 Jun 1893 Appointed - 16 Sep 1901 Appointed, Archbishop of Guadalajara, Jalisco)
Nicolás Pérez Gavilán y Echeverría † (5 Mar 1902 Appointed - 3 Dec 1919 Died)
Antonio Guízar y Valencia † (30 Jul 1920 Appointed - 24 Aug 1969 Retired)
Adalberto Almeida y Merino † (24 Aug 1969 Appointed - 24 Jun 1991 Retired)
José Fernández Arteaga (24 Jun 1991 Succeeded - 29 Sep 2009 Retired)
Constancio Miranda Wechmann (29 Sep 2009 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Chihuahua
23 June 1891	Erected	Diocese of Durango	Diocese of Chihuahua (erected)
6 May 1950	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chihuahua	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Tarahumara (erected)
10 April 1957	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chihuahua	Diocese of Ciudad Juárez (erected)
Archdiocese of Chihuahua
22 November 1958	Elevated	Diocese of Chihuahua	Archdiocese of Chihuahua
25 April 1966	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Chihuahua Diocese of Ciudad Juárez Diocese of Ciudad Obregón	Territorial Prelature of Madera (erected)
11 May 1992	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Chihuahua	Diocese of Parral (erected)
17 November 1995	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Chihuahua Territorial Prelature of Madera	Diocese of Cuauhtémoc-Madera (Name Changed and Elevated to a Diocese)

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 Chihuahua

1950 815,000 836,000 97.5% 61 33 94 8,670 33 210 53 ap1951

Archdiocese of Chihuahua

1966 610,500 667,901 91.4% 87 21 108 5,652 27 329 41 ap1967

1970 768,000 799,902 96.0% 107 23 130 5,907 37 346 49 ap1971

1976 963,360 999,336 96.4% 85 23 108 8,920 28 289 55 ap1977

1980 1,037,491 1,090,718 95.1% 81 18 99 10,479 27 264 54 ap1981

1990 1,940,438 2,180,374 89.0% 88 23 111 17,481 12 36 226 65 ap1991

1999 935,701 1,039,668 90.0% 86 30 116 8,066 9 39 175 53 ap2000

2000 954,415 1,060,461 90.0% 85 31 116 8,227 9 43 182 61 ap2001

2001 973,503 1,081,670 90.0% 77 31 108 9,013 8 44 189 62 ap2002

2002 992,973 1,103,303 90.0% 85 32 117 8,486 8 45 188 62 ap2003

2003 990,326 1,125,370 88.0% 86 29 115 8,611 8 37 190 62 ap2004

2004 1,010,133 1,285,624 78.6% 78 28 106 9,529 8 33 192 62 ap2005

2006 1,176,000 1,321,000 89.0% 102 29 131 8,977 10 38 185 59 ap2007

2013 1,385,649 1,487,937 93.1% 119 27 146 9,490 8 33 161 66 ap2014

2016 1,394,403 1,491,815 93.5% 118 41 159 8,769 7 47 157 85 ap2017

2019 1,465,640 1,564,628 93.7% 123 36 159 9,217 17 41 150 85 ap2020

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 Chihuahua
1950	815,000	836,000	97.5%	61	33	94	8,670		33	210	53	ap1951
Archdiocese of Chihuahua
1966	610,500	667,901	91.4%	87	21	108	5,652		27	329	41	ap1967
1970	768,000	799,902	96.0%	107	23	130	5,907		37	346	49	ap1971
1976	963,360	999,336	96.4%	85	23	108	8,920		28	289	55	ap1977
1980	1,037,491	1,090,718	95.1%	81	18	99	10,479		27	264	54	ap1981
1990	1,940,438	2,180,374	89.0%	88	23	111	17,481	12	36	226	65	ap1991
1999	935,701	1,039,668	90.0%	86	30	116	8,066	9	39	175	53	ap2000
2000	954,415	1,060,461	90.0%	85	31	116	8,227	9	43	182	61	ap2001
2001	973,503	1,081,670	90.0%	77	31	108	9,013	8	44	189	62	ap2002
2002	992,973	1,103,303	90.0%	85	32	117	8,486	8	45	188	62	ap2003
2003	990,326	1,125,370	88.0%	86	29	115	8,611	8	37	190	62	ap2004
2004	1,010,133	1,285,624	78.6%	78	28	106	9,529	8	33	192	62	ap2005
2006	1,176,000	1,321,000	89.0%	102	29	131	8,977	10	38	185	59	ap2007
2013	1,385,649	1,487,937	93.1%	119	27	146	9,490	8	33	161	66	ap2014
2016	1,394,403	1,491,815	93.5%	118	41	159	8,769	7	47	157	85	ap2017
2019	1,465,640	1,564,628	93.7%	123	36	159	9,217	17	41	150	85	ap2020

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Luis Martín Barraza Beltrán, Ist. del Prado (Deacon: 21 Apr 1988; Priest: 17 Jun 1988 to 9 Sep 2017)
José Fernández Arteaga (Coadjutor Archbishop: 20 Dec 1988; Archbishop: 24 Jun 1991 to 29 Sep 2009)
Juan Guillermo López Soto (Priest: 18 Aug 1972 to 17 Nov 1995)
Constancio Miranda Wechmann (Archbishop: 29 Sep 2009 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Adalberto Almeida y Merino † (Priest: 24 Apr 1943 to 28 May 1956; Archbishop: 24 Aug 1969 to 24 Jun 1991)
Francisco Espino Porras † (Priest: 7 Jul 1929; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Feb 1943 to 5 May 1961)
Antonio Guízar y Valencia † (Bishop: 30 Jul 1920; Archbishop: 18 Dec 1958 to 24 Aug 1969)
Luis Mena Arroyo † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 1 Sep 1964 to 24 Aug 1969)
José de Jesús Ortíz y Rodríguez † (Bishop: 15 Jun 1893 to 16 Sep 1901)
Nicolás Pérez Gavilán y Echeverría † (Bishop: 5 Mar 1902 to 3 Dec 1919)
Manuel Talamás Camandari † (Priest: 16 May 1943 to 21 May 1957)

Archdiocese of Chihuahua

Archidioecesis Chihuahuensis