Archdiocese of León

Archidioecesis Leonensis

Bishop(s)

Jaime Calderón Calderón, Archbishop
Alfonso Cortés Contreras, Archbishop Emeritus
José Guadalupe Martín Rábago, Archbishop Emeritus
Juan Frausto Pallares, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 25 November 2006
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Guanajuato
Country: México
Square Kilometers: 8,110 (3,132 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Bajío
Official Web Site: https://arquileon.org/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Pedro Moreno 312, Apartado 108, 37000 León, Gto., México
Telephone: (477)713-27-47; 714-25-77

Historical Details

Diocese of León
- Latin Name: Leonensis
- Erected: 26 January 1863
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of San Luis Potosí
- State: Guanajuato
- Country: México

Past and Present Ordinaries

José María de Jesús Díez de Sollano y Dávalos † (19 Mar 1863 Appointed - 7 Jun 1881 Died)
Tomás Barón y Morales † (25 Sep 1882 Appointed - 19 Jan 1898 Died)
Santiago de los Santos Garza Zambrano † (12 Feb 1898 Appointed - 2 Mar 1900 Appointed, Archbishop of Linares o Nueva León, Nuevo León)
Leopoldo Ruiz y Flores † (12 Nov 1900 Appointed - 14 Sep 1907 Appointed, Archbishop of Linares o Nueva León, Nuevo León)
José Mora y del Rio † (15 Sep 1907 Appointed - 2 Dec 1908 Appointed, Archbishop of México, Federal District)
Emeterio Valverde y Téllez † (7 Aug 1909 Appointed - 26 Dec 1948 Died)
Manuel Martín del Campo Padilla † (26 Dec 1948 Succeeded - 10 Jun 1965 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Morelia, Michoacán)
Anselmo Zarza Bernal † (13 Jan 1966 Appointed - 4 Jan 1992 Retired)
Rafael Garcia González † (4 Jan 1992 Appointed - 8 Nov 1994 Died)
José Guadalupe Martín Rábago (23 Aug 1995 Appointed - 22 Dec 2012 Retired)
Alfonso Cortés Contreras (22 Dec 2012 Appointed - 4 Jul 2024 Retired)
Jaime Calderón Calderón (4 Jul 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of León
26 January 1863	Erected	Diocese of Michoacán	Diocese of León (erected) Diocese of Zamora (erected)
13 October 1973	Territory Lost	Diocese of León (Dolores Hidalgo, S. Diego de la Unión, S. Luis de la Paz. and S. Miguel Allende) Archdiocese of Morelia (Celaya, Apaseo ei Alto, Apaseo ei Grande, Comonfort, Cortázar, Juventino Rosas, and Villagrán)	Diocese of Celaya (erected)
5 November 1988	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of León (From Morelia (Mexico) to San Luis Potosi (Mexico))
3 January 2004	Territory Lost	Diocese of León (Irapuato and Pueblo Nuevo) Archdiocese of Morelia (Abasolo, Cuerámaro, Huanimaro, Jaral del Progreso, Salamanca, and Valle de Santiago along with part of Pénjamo)	Diocese of Irapuato (erected)
Archdiocese of León
25 November 2006	Elevated	Diocese of León	Archdiocese of León

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 León

1948 570,400 575,000 99.2% 185 36 221 2,580 57 562 50 ap1951

1966 999,000 1,110,642 89.9% 274 83 357 2,798 146 1,100 37 ap1967

1970 1,195,478 1,206,435 99.1% 266 101 367 3,257 132 1,532 43 ap1971

1976 999,764 1,004,236 99.6% 209 94 303 3,299 163 1,042 55 ap1977

1980 1,117,931 1,127,395 99.2% 205 114 319 3,504 313 1,025 62 ap1981

1990 2,675,000 2,745,000 97.4% 215 103 318 8,411 171 1,018 82 ap1991

1999 2,939,168 3,090,000 95.1% 239 137 376 7,816 279 480 110 ap2000

2000 3,058,967 3,199,204 95.6% 252 157 409 7,479 194 1,102 113 ap2001

2001 3,364,864 3,519,124 95.6% 252 137 389 8,650 145 1,528 115 ap2002

2002 3,081,802 3,210,211 96.0% 252 137 389 7,922 4 145 1,443 119 ap2003

2003 3,356,804 3,885,116 86.4% 245 181 426 7,879 4 189 1,459 119 ap2004

2004 3,416,000 3,795,967 90.0% 226 162 388 8,804 170 1,326 98 ap2005

Archdiocese of León

2013 2,437,253 2,910,390 83.7% 230 118 348 7,003 12 197 665 123 ap2014

2016 2,696,597 2,955,369 91.2% 235 144 379 7,115 13 239 642 123 ap2017

2019 2,777,160 3,043,770 91.2% 425 146 571 4,863 11 234 270 125 ap2020

2021 2,226,722 2,447,649 91.0% 236 139 375 5,937 10 217 273 132 ap2022

2023 2,374,593 2,606,979 91.1% 240 141 381 6,232 10 190 160 132 ap2024

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 León
1948	570,400	575,000	99.2%	185	36	221	2,580		57	562	50	ap1951
1966	999,000	1,110,642	89.9%	274	83	357	2,798		146	1,100	37	ap1967
1970	1,195,478	1,206,435	99.1%	266	101	367	3,257		132	1,532	43	ap1971
1976	999,764	1,004,236	99.6%	209	94	303	3,299		163	1,042	55	ap1977
1980	1,117,931	1,127,395	99.2%	205	114	319	3,504		313	1,025	62	ap1981
1990	2,675,000	2,745,000	97.4%	215	103	318	8,411		171	1,018	82	ap1991
1999	2,939,168	3,090,000	95.1%	239	137	376	7,816		279	480	110	ap2000
2000	3,058,967	3,199,204	95.6%	252	157	409	7,479		194	1,102	113	ap2001
2001	3,364,864	3,519,124	95.6%	252	137	389	8,650		145	1,528	115	ap2002
2002	3,081,802	3,210,211	96.0%	252	137	389	7,922	4	145	1,443	119	ap2003
2003	3,356,804	3,885,116	86.4%	245	181	426	7,879	4	189	1,459	119	ap2004
2004	3,416,000	3,795,967	90.0%	226	162	388	8,804		170	1,326	98	ap2005
Archdiocese of León
2013	2,437,253	2,910,390	83.7%	230	118	348	7,003	12	197	665	123	ap2014
2016	2,696,597	2,955,369	91.2%	235	144	379	7,115	13	239	642	123	ap2017
2019	2,777,160	3,043,770	91.2%	425	146	571	4,863	11	234	270	125	ap2020
2021	2,226,722	2,447,649	91.0%	236	139	375	5,937	10	217	273	132	ap2022
2023	2,374,593	2,606,979	91.1%	240	141	381	6,232	10	190	160	132	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Jaime Calderón Calderón (Archbishop: 4 Jul 2024 - )
Alfonso Cortés Contreras (Archbishop: 22 Dec 2012 to 4 Jul 2024)
Juan Frausto Pallares (Priest: 21 Jun 1968; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Dec 2005 to 28 Oct 2016)
Luis Felipe Gallardo Martín del Campo, S.D.B.
Francisco González Ramos (Deacon: 2 May 1982; Priest: 18 Jul 1982 to 3 Jan 2004)
José Ulises Macías Salcedo (Priest: 10 Apr 1966 to 14 Jun 1984)
José Guadalupe Martín Rábago (Bishop: 23 Aug 1995; Archbishop: 25 Nov 2006 to 22 Dec 2012)
Armando António Ortíz Aguirre (Priest: 17 Jun 1977 to 20 Nov 2013)
Felipe Padilla Cardona (Priest: 10 Jun 1973 to 15 Feb 1992)
José Guadalupe Torres Campos (Priest: 2 Jul 1984 to 3 Jan 2004)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

José de Jesús Clemens Alba Palacios †
Pedro Aranda Díaz-Muñoz †
Renato Ascencio León †
Tomás Barón y Morales † (Bishop: 25 Sep 1882 to 19 Jan 1898)
Luis Cabrera Cruz † (Priest: 24 Feb 1919 to 14 Dec 1950)
José María de Jesús Díez de Sollano y Dávalos † (Bishop: 19 Mar 1863 to 7 Jun 1881)
Gonzalo Galván Castillo † (Priest: 17 Jul 1977 to 26 Oct 2004)
Rafael Garcia González † (Bishop: 4 Jan 1992 to 8 Nov 1994)
Santiago de los Santos Garza Zambrano † (Bishop: 12 Feb 1898 to 2 Mar 1900)
Braulio Rafael León Villegas † (Priest: 17 May 1970 to 21 Feb 1990)
Manuel Martín del Campo Padilla † (Coadjutor Bishop: 3 Aug 1946; Bishop: 26 Dec 1948 to 10 Jun 1965)
Miguel Darío Miranda y Gómez † (Priest: 28 Oct 1918 to 1 Oct 1937)
José Mora y del Rio † (Bishop: 15 Sep 1907 to 2 Dec 1908)
Samuel Ruiz García †
Leopoldo Ruiz y Flores † (Bishop: 12 Nov 1900 to 14 Sep 1907)
Andrés Segura y Domínguez † (Deacon: 8 Jun 1873; Priest: 20 Dec 1873 to 6 Aug 1906)
Emeterio Valverde y Téllez † (Bishop: 7 Aug 1909 to 26 Dec 1948)
Anselmo Zarza Bernal † (Bishop: 13 Jan 1966 to 4 Jan 1992)

Source(s)

Diocese of León
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 81, Page 156, and Page 157
Archdiocese of León
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 99, Page 57, to Page 60

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