Archdiocese of Antofagasta

Archidioecesis Antofagastensis

Bishop(s)

Ignacio Francisco Ducasse Medina, Archbishop
Patricio Infante Alfonso, Archbishop Emeritus
Pablo Lizama Riquelme, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 28 June 1967
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Chile
Square Kilometers: 84,504 (32,639 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.iglesiadeantofagasta.cl/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, San Martin 2634, Antofagasta, Chile
Telephone: (55)2210.000

Historical Details

Mission "Sui Iuris" of Antofagasta
- Latin Name: Antofagastensis
- Erected: 1881
- Country: Chile
Vicariate Apostolic of Antofagasta
- Latin Name: Antofagastensis
- Elevated: 1887
- Vicariate
- Country: Chile
Diocese of Antofagasta
- Latin Name: Antofagastensis
- Elevated: 3 February 1928
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of La Serena
- Country: Chile

Past and Present Ordinaries

Raymundo Cisternas † ( 1881 Appointed - 1882 Resigned)
Juan Luis Montes Solar † ( 1882 Appointed - 1882 Resigned)
Florencio Eduardo Fontecilla Sánchez † (2 Apr 1882 Appointed - 15 May 1887 Resigned)
Luís Silva Lezaeta † (15 May 1887 Appointed - 4 Mar 1896 Resigned)
Felipe Salas Errázuriz † (4 Mar 1896 Appointed - 4 Nov 1904 Died)
Luís Silva Lezaeta † (4 Nov 1904 Appointed - 21 May 1929 Died)
Alfredo Cifuentes Gómez † (23 Dec 1933 Appointed - 5 Jun 1943 Appointed, Archbishop of La Serena)
Hernán Frías Hurtado † (13 Jan 1945 Appointed - 29 May 1957 Resigned)
Francisco de Borja Valenzuela Ríos † (20 Aug 1957 Appointed - 25 Mar 1974 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of San Felipe)
Carlos Oviedo Cavada, O. de M. † (25 Mar 1974 Appointed - 30 Mar 1990 Appointed, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile)
Patricio Infante Alfonso (12 Dec 1990 Appointed - 26 Nov 2004 Retired)
Pablo Lizama Riquelme (26 Nov 2004 Succeeded - 8 Jun 2017 Retired)
Ignacio Francisco Ducasse Medina (8 Jun 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Mission "Sui Iuris" of Antofagasta
1881	Erected	Diocese of La Serena	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Antofagasta (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Antofagasta
1887	Elevated	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Antofagasta	Vicariate Apostolic of Antofagasta
Diocese of Antofagasta
3 February 1928	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Antofagasta	Diocese of Antofagasta
20 May 1939	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Antofagasta (from Santiago de Chile)
21 July 1965	Territory Lost	Diocese of Antofagasta Diocese of Iquique	Territorial Prelature of Calama (erected) (Departamento El Loa and Distrito de Pampa Union)
5 June 1967	Territory Added	Diocese of Iquique (Quillagua)	Diocese of Antofagasta
Archdiocese of Antofagasta
28 June 1967	Elevated	Diocese of Antofagasta	Archdiocese of Antofagasta

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 Antofagasta

1950 165,000 180,000 91.7% 7 21 28 5,892 31 61 23 ap1951

1959 201,871 266,871 75.6% 16 37 53 3,808 48 97 27 ap1960

1966 212,500 192,740 110.3% 16 35 51 4,166 35 116 16 ap1967*

Archdiocese of Antofagasta

1968 164,000 192,740 85.1% 18 30 48 3,416 34 99 13 ap1971

1976 245,000 280,000 87.5% 3 32 35 7,000 6 33 60 17 ap1977

1980 200,000 215,800 92.7% 4 25 29 6,896 6 26 60 17 ap1981

1990 230,000 245,000 93.9% 12 19 31 7,419 7 27 86 18 ap1991

1999 174,360 249,085 70.0% 14 24 38 4,588 11 28 97 17 ap2000

2000 294,891 317,087 93.0% 16 25 41 7,192 16 28 83 17 ap2001

2001 294,891 317,087 93.0% 17 25 42 7,021 16 28 83 17 ap2002

2002 245,257 350,367 70.0% 14 27 41 5,981 18 30 74 17 ap2003

2003 243,558 347,939 70.0% 14 29 43 5,664 17 32 86 19 ap2004

2004 258,972 361,138 71.7% 14 38 52 4,980 17 41 91 19 ap2005

2006 239,359 341,942 70.0% 15 27 42 5,699 17 29 90 19 ap2007

2012 252,300 362,000 69.7% 18 25 43 5,867 34 30 84 19 ap2013

2015 388,603 594,755 65.3% 25 21 46 8,447 28 23 76 20 ap2016

2018 394,800 613,335 64.4% 26 26 52 7,592 23 28 63 20 ap2019

2020 406,200 631,000 64.4% 30 1 31 13,103 23 2 66 18 ap2021

2022 418,048 649,425 64.4% 33 1 34 12,295 25 3 66 20 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 Antofagasta
1950	165,000	180,000	91.7%	7	21	28	5,892		31	61	23	ap1951
1959	201,871	266,871	75.6%	16	37	53	3,808		48	97	27	ap1960
1966	212,500	192,740	110.3%	16	35	51	4,166		35	116	16	ap1967*
Archdiocese of Antofagasta
1968	164,000	192,740	85.1%	18	30	48	3,416		34	99	13	ap1971
1976	245,000	280,000	87.5%	3	32	35	7,000	6	33	60	17	ap1977
1980	200,000	215,800	92.7%	4	25	29	6,896	6	26	60	17	ap1981
1990	230,000	245,000	93.9%	12	19	31	7,419	7	27	86	18	ap1991
1999	174,360	249,085	70.0%	14	24	38	4,588	11	28	97	17	ap2000
2000	294,891	317,087	93.0%	16	25	41	7,192	16	28	83	17	ap2001
2001	294,891	317,087	93.0%	17	25	42	7,021	16	28	83	17	ap2002
2002	245,257	350,367	70.0%	14	27	41	5,981	18	30	74	17	ap2003
2003	243,558	347,939	70.0%	14	29	43	5,664	17	32	86	19	ap2004
2004	258,972	361,138	71.7%	14	38	52	4,980	17	41	91	19	ap2005
2006	239,359	341,942	70.0%	15	27	42	5,699	17	29	90	19	ap2007
2012	252,300	362,000	69.7%	18	25	43	5,867	34	30	84	19	ap2013
2015	388,603	594,755	65.3%	25	21	46	8,447	28	23	76	20	ap2016
2018	394,800	613,335	64.4%	26	26	52	7,592	23	28	63	20	ap2019
2020	406,200	631,000	64.4%	30	1	31	13,103	23	2	66	18	ap2021
2022	418,048	649,425	64.4%	33	1	34	12,295	25	3	66	20	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Ignacio Francisco Ducasse Medina (Archbishop: 8 Jun 2017 - )
Patricio Infante Alfonso (Archbishop: 12 Dec 1990 to 26 Nov 2004)
Pablo Lizama Riquelme (Coadjutor Archbishop: 27 Feb 2004; Archbishop: 26 Nov 2004 to 8 Jun 2017)
Juan Luis Ysern de Arce (Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Apr 1972 to 13 May 1974)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Alfredo Cifuentes Gómez † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1933 to 5 Jun 1943)
Raymundo Cisternas † (Superior: 1881 to 1882)
Florencio Eduardo Fontecilla Sánchez † (Superior: 2 Apr 1882 to 15 May 1887)
Hernán Frías Hurtado † (Bishop: 13 Jan 1945 to 29 May 1957)
José Armando Gutiérrez Granier †
Juan Bautista Herrada Armijo, O. de M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Nov 1991 to 16 Jul 1997)
Arturo Mery Beckdorf † (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Mar 1941; Apostolic Administrator: 8 Jun 1943 to 29 Jul 1944)
Juan Luis Montes Solar † (Superior: 1882 to 1882)
Carlos Oviedo Cavada, O. de M. † (Archbishop: 25 Mar 1974 to 30 Mar 1990)
Felipe Salas Errázuriz † (Vicar Apostolic: 4 Mar 1896 to 4 Nov 1904)
Luís Silva Lezaeta † (Vicar Apostolic: 15 May 1887 to 4 Mar 1896; Bishop: 3 Feb 1928 to 21 May 1929)
Francisco de Borja Valenzuela Ríos † (Bishop: 20 Aug 1957; Archbishop: 28 Jun 1967 to 25 Mar 1974)

Source(s)

Diocese of Antofagasta
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 21, Page 138, to Page 140
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 31, Page 338, to Page 340
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 809, and Page 810
Archdiocese of Antofagasta
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 946, and Page 947

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