San Cristóbal de Las Casas (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Rodrigo Aguilar Martínez, Bishop
Luis Manuel López Alfaro, Auxiliary Bishop
Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, Cardinal, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 27 October 1964
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Chiapas
Country: México
Square Kilometers: 36,821 (14,222 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Pacífico-Sur
Official Web Site: https://www.diocesisdesancristobal.com.mx/
Mailing Address: Calle 20 de Noviembre 1 y 5 de Febrero 6, 29200 San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México
Telephone: (967)678-00-53
Fax: 678-31-36

Historical Details

Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas)
- Latin Name: Chiapasensis
- Erected: 19 March 1539
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca
- State: Chiapas
- Country: México

Past and Present Ordinaries

Juan de Urteaga, O.S.H. † (30 Mar 1539 Appointed - 1540 Died)
Juan de Arteaga y Avendaño † (16 Jul 1540 Appointed - 8 Sep 1540 Died)
Bartolomé de las Casas (Casaus), O.P. † (19 Dec 1543 Appointed - 11 Sep 1550 Resigned)
Tomás Casillas, O.P. † (19 Jan 1551 Appointed - 29 Oct 1567 Died)
Pedro Martín Fernández, O.P. † (8 Jan 1574 Appointed - 1588 Died)
Andrés de Ubilla, O.P. † (21 May 1592 Appointed - 29 Jan 1603 Appointed, Bishop of Michoacán)
Lucas Duran, O.S. † (7 Jan 1605 Appointed - 1607 Resigned)
Juan González de Mendoza, O.S.A. † (7 May 1607 Appointed - 17 Nov 1608 Appointed, Bishop of Popayán)
Juan Tomás de Blanes, O.P. † (12 Jan 1609 Appointed - 5 Feb 1612 Died)
Juan de Zapata y Sandoval, O.S.A. † (13 Nov 1613 Appointed - 13 Sep 1621 Appointed, Bishop of Santiago de Guatemala)
Bernardino de Salazar y Frías † (25 Oct 1621 Appointed - 1626 Died)
Agustín de Ugarte y Sarabia † (3 Dec 1629 Appointed - 2 Dec 1630 Appointed, Bishop of Santiago de Guatemala)
Marcos Ramírez de Prado y Ovando, O.F.M. † (31 Jan 1633 Confirmed - 30 May 1639 Appointed, Bishop of Michoacán)
Cristóbal Pérez Lazarraga y Maneli Viana, O. Cist. † (3 Oct 1639 Appointed - 8 Oct 1640 Appointed, Bishop of Cartagena)
Domingo (de Villaescusa) Ramírez de Arellano, O.S.H. † (19 Nov 1640 Appointed - 2 Dec 1652 Appointed, Bishop of Yucatán (Mérida))
Mauro Diego (Marcos) de Tovar y Valle Maldonado, O.S.B. † (16 Dec 1652 Appointed - 22 Oct 1666 Died)
Bernardo Cristóbal de Quirós † (1 Sep 1670 Appointed - 16 May 1672 Appointed, Bishop of Popayán)
Marcos Bravo de la Serna Manrique † (12 Mar 1674 Appointed - Oct 1680 Died)
Francisco Núñez de la Vega, O.P. † (8 Jun 1682 Confirmed - 1706 Died)
Juan Bautista Alvarez de Toledo, O.F.M. Obs. † (24 Sep 1708 Appointed - 17 Jan 1714 Appointed, Bishop of Santiago de Guatemala)
Jacinto Olivera y Pardo † (26 Feb 1714 Appointed - 10 Jul 1733 Died)
José Cubero Ramírez de Arellano, O. de M. † (9 Jul 1734 Appointed - 20 Jun 1752 Died)
José Vidal de Moctezuma y Tobar, O. de M. † (28 May 1753 Confirmed - 3 Oct 1766 Died)
Miguel Cilieza y Velasco † (27 Apr 1767 Appointed - 7 Apr 1768 Died)
Lucas Ramírez Galán, O.F.M. Obs. † (12 Jun 1769 Appointed - 21 Aug 1769 Confirmed, Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada)
Juan Manuel Garcia de Vargas y Ribera, O. de M. † (20 Nov 1769 Appointed - 14 Dec 1774 Died)
Antonio Caballero y Góngora † (29 May 1775 Appointed - 11 Sep 1775 Confirmed, Bishop of Yucatán (Mérida))
Francisco (Martinez) Polanco (López de Lorena) † (13 Nov 1775 Appointed - 20 Nov 1784 Died)
Jose Martinez Palomino y Lopez de Lorena † (19 Dec 1785 Appointed - 8 Mar 1788 Resigned)
Francisco Gabriel de Olivares y Benito † (15 Sep 1788 Appointed - 22 Sep 1795 Appointed, Bishop of Durango)
Fermín José Fuero y Gómez Martinez Arañon † (18 Dec 1795 Appointed - 14 Jul 1800 Died)
Ambrosio Llano † (23 Dec 1801 Appointed - 14 Jul 1815 Died)
Salvador de Sanmartin y Cuevas † (22 Jul 1816 Appointed - 9 Feb 1821 Died)
Luis García Guillén, O. de M. † (28 Feb 1831 Appointed - 19 Aug 1834 Died)
José María Luciano Becerra y Jiménez † (23 Dec 1839 Appointed - 27 Sep 1852 Appointed, Bishop of Tlaxcala (Puebla de los Angeles))
Carlos María Colina y Rubio † (7 Apr 1854 Appointed - 19 Mar 1863 Appointed, Bishop of Tlaxcala (Puebla de los Angeles))
Carlos Manuel Ladrón de Guevara † (19 Mar 1863 Appointed - 28 Aug 1869 Died)
Germán de Ascensión Villalvazo y Rodríguez † (22 Nov 1869 Appointed - 8 May 1879 Died)
Ramón María de San José Moreno y Castañeda, O.C.D. † (22 Sep 1879 Appointed - 21 Sep 1882 Resigned)
Miguel Mariano Luque y Ayerdi † (13 Nov 1884 Appointed - 14 May 1901 Died)
Francisco Orozco y Jiménez † (30 May 1902 Appointed - 2 Dec 1912 Appointed, Archbishop of Guadalajara, Jalisco)
Maximino Ruiz y Flores † (8 Jul 1913 Appointed - 8 Mar 1920 Resigned)
Gerardo Anaya y Diez de Bonilla † (8 Mar 1920 Appointed - 3 Oct 1941 Appointed, Bishop of San Luis Potosí)
Lucio Torreblanca y Tapia † (22 Jan 1944 Appointed - 25 May 1959 Appointed, Archbishop of Durango)
Samuel Ruiz García † (14 Nov 1959 Appointed - 13 Mar 2000 Retired)
Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel (31 Mar 2000 Appointed - 3 Nov 2017 Retired)
Rodrigo Aguilar Martínez (3 Nov 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas)
19 March 1539	Erected	Diocese of Antequera, Oaxaca	Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas) (erected)
12 February 1546	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas) (From Seville (Spain) to Mexico (Mexico))
19 June 1957	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas) (Arriaga, Villaflores, Villa Corzo, Tonala, La Concordia, Angel A. Corzo, Pijijiapam, Mapestepec, Motozintla, Siltepec, Bellavista, La Grandeza, Bejucal, Amatenango, Porvenir, Mazapa, Escuintla, Aeacoyagua, Acapetagua, Huixtla, Pueblo Nuevo, Tuzantan, ...)	Diocese of Tapachula (erected)
27 October 1964	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas) (Cintalapa, Jiquipilas, Ocozocoautla, Tecpatán, Francisco León, Chapultenango, Ishuatán, Tapilula, Rayón, Pantepec, Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán, Ocotepec, Tapalapa, Coapilla, Copainalá, Jitötol, Bochil, Chicoasén, Berriozabál, San Fernando , Osumacinta, ...) Diocese of Tabasco (Reforma, Sunuapan, Pichuacalco, Juárez, Ixtapangajoya, and Parts of Ostuacan, Solosuchiapa, and Ixtacomitán) Diocese of Tapachula (Villa Flores, Villa Corzo, Angel Albino Corzo (Jaltenango) and La Concordia)	Diocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez (erected)
Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
27 October 1964	Name Changed	Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas)	Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
25 November 2006	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas (from Antequera, Oaxaca)

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 Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas)

1949 623,641 628,498 99.2% 30 30 20,788 46 40 ap1951

1958 609,092 625,163 97.4% 33 4 37 16,461 7 52 32 ap1960

Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas

1966 611,000 637,500 95.8% 33 20 53 11,528 28 89 27 ap1967

1968 611,000 637,500 95.8% 60 25 85 7,188 37 107 29 ap1971

1976 756,400 787,950 96.0% 38 27 65 11,636 47 135 39 ap1977

1980 840,000 908,000 92.5% 34 27 61 13,770 43 144 38 ap1981

1990 870,500 1,200,000 72.5% 35 27 62 14,040 69 48 180 50 ap1991

1999 974,336 1,454,233 67.0% 25 31 56 17,398 311 41 157 44 ap2000

2000 1,186,846 1,543,245 76.9% 24 30 54 21,978 336 44 205 38 ap2001

2001 995,322 1,531,372 65.0% 28 34 62 16,053 337 44 191 37 ap2002

2002 995,322 1,531,372 65.0% 37 36 73 13,634 342 55 209 46 ap2003

2003 995,322 1,531,312 65.0% 45 4 49 20,312 341 53 168 48 ap2004

2004 995,322 1,707,059 58.3% 46 38 84 11,849 340 58 190 51 ap2005

2010 1,346,000 1,691,000 79.6% 49 39 88 15,295 329 56 207 52 ap2011

2014 1,339,000 1,752,000 76.4% 67 41 108 12,398 316 46 244 57 ap2015

2017 1,600,000 2,385,000 67.1% 78 47 125 12,800 450 54 190 55 ap2018

2020 1,647,915 2,456,600 67.1% 133 4 137 12,028 446 12 173 57 ap2021

2022 1,608,000 2,503,000 64.2% 135 4 139 11,568 446 11 173 57 ap2023

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 Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas)
1949	623,641	628,498	99.2%	30		30	20,788			46	40	ap1951
1958	609,092	625,163	97.4%	33	4	37	16,461		7	52	32	ap1960
Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
1966	611,000	637,500	95.8%	33	20	53	11,528		28	89	27	ap1967
1968	611,000	637,500	95.8%	60	25	85	7,188		37	107	29	ap1971
1976	756,400	787,950	96.0%	38	27	65	11,636		47	135	39	ap1977
1980	840,000	908,000	92.5%	34	27	61	13,770		43	144	38	ap1981
1990	870,500	1,200,000	72.5%	35	27	62	14,040	69	48	180	50	ap1991
1999	974,336	1,454,233	67.0%	25	31	56	17,398	311	41	157	44	ap2000
2000	1,186,846	1,543,245	76.9%	24	30	54	21,978	336	44	205	38	ap2001
2001	995,322	1,531,372	65.0%	28	34	62	16,053	337	44	191	37	ap2002
2002	995,322	1,531,372	65.0%	37	36	73	13,634	342	55	209	46	ap2003
2003	995,322	1,531,312	65.0%	45	4	49	20,312	341	53	168	48	ap2004
2004	995,322	1,707,059	58.3%	46	38	84	11,849	340	58	190	51	ap2005
2010	1,346,000	1,691,000	79.6%	49	39	88	15,295	329	56	207	52	ap2011
2014	1,339,000	1,752,000	76.4%	67	41	108	12,398	316	46	244	57	ap2015
2017	1,600,000	2,385,000	67.1%	78	47	125	12,800	450	54	190	55	ap2018
2020	1,647,915	2,456,600	67.1%	133	4	137	12,028	446	12	173	57	ap2021
2022	1,608,000	2,503,000	64.2%	135	4	139	11,568	446	11	173	57	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Juan Bautista Alvarez de Toledo, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 24 Sep 1708 to 17 Jan 1714)
Gerardo Anaya y Diez de Bonilla † (Bishop: 8 Mar 1920 to 3 Oct 1941)
Juan de Arteaga y Avendaño † (Bishop: 16 Jul 1540 to 8 Sep 1540)
José María Luciano Becerra y Jiménez † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1839 to 27 Sep 1852)
Juan Tomás de Blanes, O.P. † (Bishop: 12 Jan 1609 to 5 Feb 1612)
Marcos Bravo de la Serna Manrique † (Bishop: 12 Mar 1674 to Oct 1680)
Antonio Caballero y Góngora † (Bishop: 29 May 1775 to 11 Sep 1775)
Tomás Casillas, O.P. † (Bishop: 19 Jan 1551 to 29 Oct 1567)
Miguel Cilieza y Velasco † (Bishop: 27 Apr 1767 to 7 Apr 1768)
Carlos María Colina y Rubio † (Bishop: 7 Apr 1854 to 19 Mar 1863)
Lucas Duran, O.S. † (Bishop: 7 Jan 1605 to 1607)
Fermín José Fuero y Gómez Martinez Arañon † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1795 to 14 Jul 1800)
Juan Manuel Garcia de Vargas y Ribera, O. de M. † (Bishop: 20 Nov 1769 to 14 Dec 1774)
Luis García Guillén, O. de M. † (Bishop: 28 Feb 1831 to 19 Aug 1834)
Juan González de Mendoza, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 7 May 1607 to 17 Nov 1608)
Carlos Manuel Ladrón de Guevara † (Bishop: 19 Mar 1863 to 28 Aug 1869)
Bartolomé de las Casas (Casaus), O.P. † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1543 to 11 Sep 1550)
Ambrosio Llano † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1801 to 14 Jul 1815)
Miguel Mariano Luque y Ayerdi † (Deacon: 21 Sep 1865; Priest: 23 Sep 1865; Bishop: 13 Nov 1884 to 14 May 1901)
Jose Martinez Palomino y Lopez de Lorena † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1785 to 8 Mar 1788)
Pedro Martín Fernández, O.P. † (Bishop: 8 Jan 1574 to 1588)
José Vidal de Moctezuma y Tobar, O. de M. † (Bishop: 28 May 1753 to 3 Oct 1766)
Ramón María de San José Moreno y Castañeda, O.C.D. † (Bishop: 22 Sep 1879 to 21 Sep 1882)
Francisco Núñez de la Vega, O.P. † (Bishop: 8 Jun 1682 to 1706)
Francisco Gabriel de Olivares y Benito † (Bishop: 15 Sep 1788 to 22 Sep 1795)
Jacinto Olivera y Pardo † (Bishop: 26 Feb 1714 to 10 Jul 1733)
Francisco Orozco y Jiménez † (Bishop: 30 May 1902 to 2 Dec 1912)
Cristóbal Pérez Lazarraga y Maneli Viana, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 3 Oct 1639 to 8 Oct 1640)
Francisco (Martinez) Polanco (López de Lorena) † (Bishop: 13 Nov 1775 to 20 Nov 1784)
Bernardo Cristóbal de Quirós † (Bishop: 1 Sep 1670 to 16 May 1672)
Domingo (de Villaescusa) Ramírez de Arellano, O.S.H. † (Bishop: 19 Nov 1640 to 2 Dec 1652)
José Cubero Ramírez de Arellano, O. de M. † (Bishop: 9 Jul 1734 to 20 Jun 1752)
Marcos Ramírez de Prado y Ovando, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 31 Jan 1633 to 30 May 1639)
Lucas Ramírez Galán, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1769 to 21 Aug 1769)
Samuel Ruiz García † (Bishop: 14 Nov 1959 to 13 Mar 2000)
Maximino Ruiz y Flores † (Bishop: 8 Jul 1913 to 8 Mar 1920)
Bernardino de Salazar y Frías † (Bishop: 25 Oct 1621 to 1626)
Salvador de Sanmartin y Cuevas † (Bishop: 22 Jul 1816 to 9 Feb 1821)
Adolfo Antonio Suárez Rivera † (Priest: 8 Mar 1952 to 14 May 1971)
Lucio Torreblanca y Tapia † (Bishop: 22 Jan 1944 to 25 May 1959)
Mauro Diego (Marcos) de Tovar y Valle Maldonado, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 16 Dec 1652 to 22 Oct 1666)
Andrés de Ubilla, O.P. † (Bishop: 21 May 1592 to 29 Jan 1603)
Agustín de Ugarte y Sarabia † (Bishop: 3 Dec 1629 to 2 Dec 1630)
Juan de Urteaga, O.S.H. † (Bishop: 30 Mar 1539 to 1540)
Germán de Ascensión Villalvazo y Rodríguez † (Bishop: 22 Nov 1869 to 8 May 1879)
Juan de Zapata y Sandoval, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 13 Nov 1613 to 13 Sep 1621)

Source(s)

Diocese of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas)
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 142, to Page 143
Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 99, Page 57, to Page 60

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Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas

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