Mérida (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Helizandro Emiro Terán Bermúdez, O.S.A., Archbishop
Luis Alfonso Márquez Molina, C.I.M., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 11 June 1923
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Venezuela
Square Kilometers: 8,109 (3,132 Square Miles)
Description: Estado Mérida
Official Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesisdemerida.org.ve/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Avenida 4 Bolivar con calle 23, Apdo. 26, Merida 5101-A, Venezuela
Telephone: (0274)252.57.86
Fax: 252.12.38

Historical Details

Diocese of Mérida
- Latin Name: Emeritensis in Venetiola
- Erected: 16 February 1778
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
- Country: Venezuela

Past and Present Ordinaries

Juan Manuel Antonio Ramos Lora, O.F.M. Obs. † (23 Sep 1782 Appointed - 9 Nov 1790 Died)
Cándido Manuel de Torrijos Riguerra, O.P. † (19 Dec 1791 Confirmed - 20 Nov 1794 Died)
Antonio Ramón de Espinosa y Lorenzo, O.P. † (18 Dec 1795 Appointed - 23 Sep 1800 Died)
Santiago Hernández Milanés † (20 Jul 1801 Appointed - 26 Mar 1812 Died)
Rafael Lasso de la Vega † (8 Mar 1816 Appointed - 15 Dec 1828 Appointed, Bishop of Quito)
José Buenaventura Arias Bergara † (22 Dec 1828 Appointed - 21 Nov 1831 Died)
José Vicente de Unda † (11 Jul 1836 Appointed - 19 Jul 1840 Died)
Juan Hilario Bosset (Boset) † (27 Jan 1842 Appointed - 1873 Died)
Tomas Zerpa † (29 Sep 1876 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Román Lovera † (20 Aug 1880 Appointed - 1892 Died)
Antonio Ramón Silva † (21 May 1894 Appointed - 1 Aug 1927 Died)
Acacio de la Trinidad Chacón Guerra † (1 Aug 1927 Succeeded - 15 Dec 1966 Retired)
José Rafael Pulido Méndez † (22 Nov 1966 Succeeded - 30 Aug 1972 Died)
Angel Pérez Cisneros † (30 Aug 1972 Succeeded - 20 Aug 1979 Resigned)
Miguel Antonio Salas Salas, C.I.M. † (20 Aug 1979 Appointed - 30 Oct 1991 Retired)
Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo (30 Oct 1991 Appointed - 31 Jan 2023 Retired)
Helizandro Emiro Terán Bermúdez, O.S.A. (31 Jan 2023 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Mérida
16 February 1778	Erected	Archdiocese of Santafé en Nueva Granada	Diocese of Mérida (erected)
7 March 1863	Territory Lost	Diocese of Mérida	Diocese of Barquisimeto (erected)
7 March 1863	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela Diocese of Mérida	Diocese of Calabozo (erected)
28 July 1897	Territory Lost	Diocese of Mérida	Diocese of Zulia (erected)
12 October 1922	Territory Lost	Diocese of Mérida (Civil state of Tachira and part of Apure (Paez))	Diocese of San Cristóbal de Venezuela (erected)
Archdiocese of Mérida
11 June 1923	Elevated	Diocese of Mérida	Archdiocese of Mérida
4 June 1957	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Mérida (Trujillo)	Diocese of Trujillo (erected)
23 July 1965	Territory Lost	Diocese of Calabozo Archdiocese of Mérida	Diocese of Barinas (erected) (Barinas)
7 July 1994	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cabimas (Sucre) Archdiocese of Maracaibo (Colón) Archdiocese of Mérida (Alberto Adriani, Obispo Ramos de Lora, Caracciolo Parra y Olmedo, Tulio Febres Cordero, Justo Briceño, and Julio César Salas)	Diocese of El Vigia-San Carlos del Zulia (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Mérida

1950 454,000 455,000 99.8% 65 24 89 5,101 48 132 77 ap1951

1966 261,200 262,000 99.7% 52 32 84 3,109 28 139 38 ap1967

1970 260,000 270,668 96.1% 41 33 74 3,513 38 204 41 ap1971

1976 377,000 380,000 99.2% 62 30 92 4,097 44 206 54 ap1977

1980 446,000 450,000 99.1% 57 24 81 5,506 31 190 47 ap1981

1990 607,000 612,396 99.1% 60 40 100 6,070 56 245 65 ap1991

1999 533,072 543,545 98.1% 75 37 112 4,759 55 200 51 ap2000

2000 543,487 554,931 97.9% 60 26 86 6,319 2 43 232 51 ap2001

2001 547,349 564,277 97.0% 78 36 114 4,801 2 54 232 52 ap2002

2002 516,341 573,712 90.0% 78 37 115 4,489 2 60 237 54 ap2003

2003 530,798 589,775 90.0% 86 39 125 4,246 2 69 240 61 ap2004

2004 543,118 603,464 90.0% 84 44 128 4,243 3 67 269 62 ap2005

2013 625,000 696,000 89.8% 93 43 136 4,595 18 84 192 62 ap2014

2016 595,910 701,070 85.0% 97 35 132 4,514 25 56 225 63 ap2017

2019 625,828 725,251 86.3% 101 26 127 4,927 22 47 157 64 ap2020

2021 640,900 743,100 86.2% 95 35 130 4,930 20 74 199 70 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Mérida
1950	454,000	455,000	99.8%	65	24	89	5,101		48	132	77	ap1951
1966	261,200	262,000	99.7%	52	32	84	3,109		28	139	38	ap1967
1970	260,000	270,668	96.1%	41	33	74	3,513		38	204	41	ap1971
1976	377,000	380,000	99.2%	62	30	92	4,097		44	206	54	ap1977
1980	446,000	450,000	99.1%	57	24	81	5,506		31	190	47	ap1981
1990	607,000	612,396	99.1%	60	40	100	6,070		56	245	65	ap1991
1999	533,072	543,545	98.1%	75	37	112	4,759		55	200	51	ap2000
2000	543,487	554,931	97.9%	60	26	86	6,319	2	43	232	51	ap2001
2001	547,349	564,277	97.0%	78	36	114	4,801	2	54	232	52	ap2002
2002	516,341	573,712	90.0%	78	37	115	4,489	2	60	237	54	ap2003
2003	530,798	589,775	90.0%	86	39	125	4,246	2	69	240	61	ap2004
2004	543,118	603,464	90.0%	84	44	128	4,243	3	67	269	62	ap2005
2013	625,000	696,000	89.8%	93	43	136	4,595	18	84	192	62	ap2014
2016	595,910	701,070	85.0%	97	35	132	4,514	25	56	225	63	ap2017
2019	625,828	725,251	86.3%	101	26	127	4,927	22	47	157	64	ap2020
2021	640,900	743,100	86.2%	95	35	130	4,930	20	74	199	70	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Owaldo Enrique Araque Valero (Valerio)
José Trinidad Fernández Angulo (Priest: 30 Jul 1989 to 17 Apr 2014)
Luis Alfonso Márquez Molina, C.I.M. (Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Oct 2001 to 15 Jul 2013)
Juan de Dios Peña Rojas (Deacon: 1 Dec 1991; Priest: 22 Aug 1992 to 17 Apr 2015)
Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Jul 1983; Archbishop: 30 Oct 1991 to 31 Jan 2023)
Luis Enrique Rojas Ruiz (Priest: 15 Sep 1999; Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Jun 2017 to 12 Jul 2023)
Gerardo Ernesto Salas Arjona (Deacon: 1 Dec 1991; Priest: 22 Aug 1992 to 22 Aug 2022)
Helizandro Emiro Terán Bermúdez, O.S.A. (Coadjutor Archbishop: 19 Mar 2022; Archbishop: 31 Jan 2023)
Alfredo Enrique Torres Rondón (Priest: 25 Jul 1976; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Jul 2013 to 15 Jul 2016)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

José Buenaventura Arias Bergara † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Oct 1826; Vicar Apostolic: 22 Dec 1828 to 21 Nov 1831)
Juan Hilario Bosset (Boset) † (Bishop: 27 Jan 1842 to 1873)
Acacio de la Trinidad Chacón Guerra † (Deacon: 21 Sep 1907; Priest: 1 Nov 1907; Coadjutor Archbishop: 10 May 1926; Archbishop: 1 Aug 1927 to 15 Dec 1966)
Roberto Antonio Dávila Uzcátegui † (Priest: 31 Oct 1954 to 23 Jun 1972)
Antonio Ramón de Espinosa y Lorenzo, O.P. † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1795 to 23 Sep 1800)
Santiago Hernández Milanés † (Bishop: 20 Jul 1801 to 26 Mar 1812)
Rafael Lasso de la Vega † (Bishop: 8 Mar 1816 to 15 Dec 1828)
Juan María Leonardi Villasmil † (Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Jan 1994 to 12 Jul 1997)
Román Lovera † (Bishop: 20 Aug 1880 to 1892)
José Humberto Paparoni † (Priest: 8 Apr 1944 to 4 Oct 1954)
Angel Pérez Cisneros † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 18 Jun 1969; Archbishop: 30 Aug 1972 to 20 Aug 1979)
José Rafael Pulido Méndez † (Priest: 10 Aug 1930 to 21 Jun 1958; Coadjutor Archbishop: 16 Jan 1961; Archbishop: 22 Nov 1966 to 30 Aug 1972)
José Humberto Quintero Parra † (Priest: 22 Aug 1926; Coadjutor Archbishop: 7 Sep 1953 to 31 Aug 1960)
Juan Manuel Antonio Ramos Lora, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 23 Sep 1782 to 9 Nov 1790)
Domingo Roa Pérez †
Miguel Antonio Salas Salas, C.I.M. † (Archbishop: 20 Aug 1979 to 30 Oct 1991)
Felipe Neri Sendra (Sendrea) †
Antonio Ramón Silva † (Bishop: 21 May 1894; Archbishop: 11 Jun 1923 to 1 Aug 1927)
Cándido Manuel de Torrijos Riguerra, O.P. † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1791 to 20 Nov 1794)
José Vicente de Unda † (Bishop: 11 Jul 1836 to 19 Jul 1840)
Tomas Zerpa † (Bishop: 29 Sep 1876 - Did Not Take Effect)

Source(s)

Diocese of Mérida
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 156
Archdiocese of Mérida
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 15, Page 533, to Page 535

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Archdiocese of Mérida

Archidioecesis Emeritensis in Venetiola