Ávila (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Jesús Rico García, H.S.O.D., Bishop
Jesús García Burillo, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 4th Century
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Valladolid
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Spain
Square Kilometers: 8,048 (3,108 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.diocesisdeavila.com/
Mailing Address: Obispado, Plaza del Teniente Arevalo 5, 05001 Avila, Espana
Telephone: 920.35.39.00
Fax: 920.21.10.73

Past and Present Ordinaries

Pedro Sánchez Zarraquines † ( 1121 Appointed - 1130 Died)
Íñigo † ( 1133 Appointed - 1142 Died)
Sancho † (Mar 1161 Appointed - 1 May 1181 Died)
Domingo Suárez, O.F.M. † (30 Jul 1263 Appointed - 1271 Died)
Fernando Rodríguez † (19 Mar 1290 Appointed - 15 Aug 1292 Died)
Sancho Blázquez Dávila † ( 1337 Appointed - 1353 Died)
Gonzalo de la Torre † (23 Dec 1355 Appointed - 1359 Died)
Alfonso de Vargas † (4 Aug 1361 Appointed - 1370 Died)
Alfonso de Vargas † (21 Feb 1371 Appointed - 11 Nov 1372 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
Alfonso † (3 Nov 1372 Appointed - )
Diego de los Roeles † ( 1378 Appointed - 1394 Died)
Alfonso de Egea † (17 Mar 1395 Appointed - 30 Jul 1403 Appointed, Archbishop of Sevilla {Seville})
Juan Ramírez de Guzmán † (30 Jul 1403 Appointed - 1424 Died)
Diego Gómez de Fuensalida † (22 Dec 1424 Appointed - 1436 Died)
Juan de Cervantes † ( 1437 Appointed - 19 Aug 1441 Resigned)
Lope Barrientos, O.P. † (19 Jul 1441 Appointed - 7 Apr 1445 Appointed, Bishop of Cuenca)
Alfonso Tostado de Madrigal † (7 Apr 1445 Appointed - 3 Sep 1455 Died)
Martin Fernandi de Bilches † (30 Jan 1456 Appointed - 1468 Died)
Alfonso de Fonseca † (29 Jan 1469 Appointed - 26 Aug 1485 Appointed, Bishop of Cuenca)
Hernando de Talavera, O.S.H. † (26 Aug 1485 Appointed - 23 Jan 1493 Appointed, Archbishop of Granada)
Francisco Sánchez de la Fuente † (23 Jan 1493 Appointed - 27 Jan 1496 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
Alfonso Carrillo de Albornoz † (27 Jun 1496 Appointed - 14 Jun 1514 Died)
Francisco Ruiz, O.F.M. † (14 Jul 1514 Appointed - 23 Oct 1528 Died)
Rodrigo Sánchez Mercado † (12 Jan 1530 Appointed - 25 Jan 1548 Died)
Diego Alava Esquivel † (7 May 1548 Appointed - 21 Oct 1558 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
Diego de los Cobos Molina † (2 Aug 1559 Appointed - 4 Sep 1560 Appointed, Bishop of Jaén)
Alvaro Hurtado de Mendoza y Sarmiento † (4 Sep 1560 Appointed - 11 Sep 1577 Appointed, Bishop of Palencia)
Sancho Busto de Villegas † (5 Nov 1578 Appointed - 19 Jan 1581 Died)
Pedro Fernández Temiño † (11 Sep 1581 Appointed - 29 Aug 1590 Died)
Jerónimo Manrique de Lara † (5 Apr 1591 Appointed - 1 Sep 1595 Died)
Juan Velázquez de las Cuevas, O.P. † (29 Apr 1596 Appointed - 11 Mar 1598 Died)
Lorenzo Asensio Otaduy Avendaño † (1 Feb 1599 Appointed - 4 Dec 1611 Died)
Juan Alvarez de Caldas † (14 May 1612 Appointed - 30 Nov 1615 Died)
Francisco González Zárate (de Gamarra) † (30 May 1616 Appointed - 13 Dec 1626 Died)
Alfonso López Gallo † (5 Jul 1627 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Francisco Márquez Gaceta † (29 Nov 1627 Appointed - 8 Nov 1631 Died)
Pedro Cifuentes Loarte † (7 Jun 1632 Appointed - 19 May 1636 Died)
Diego Arce Reinoso † (22 Mar 1638 Confirmed - 8 Oct 1640 Confirmed, Bishop of Plasencia)
Juan Vélez de Valdivielso † (25 Feb 1641 Appointed - 21 Aug 1645 Appointed, Bishop of Cartagena (en España))
José de Argáiz Pérez † (4 Dec 1645 Appointed - 27 Jul 1654 Appointed, Archbishop of Granada)
Bernardo Atayde de Lima Perera † (5 Oct 1654 Appointed - 17 Feb 1656 Died)
Martín de Bonilla Granada † (16 Oct 1656 Appointed - 21 Oct 1662 Died)
Francisco de Rojas-Borja y Artés † (23 Apr 1663 Appointed - 29 May 1673 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Cartagena (en España))
Juan Asensio Barrios, O. de M. † (26 Jun 1673 Appointed - 20 Apr 1682 Appointed, Bishop of Jaén)
Diego Ventura Fernández de Angulo, O.F.M. † (11 Jan 1683 Confirmed - 17 Mar 1700 Died)
Gregorio Solórzano Castillo † (10 May 1700 Appointed - 17 Jul 1703 Died)
Baltasar de la Peña Avilés † (17 Dec 1703 Appointed - 7 Feb 1705 Died)
Julián Cano y Tevar, O. Carm. † (17 Jan 1714 Appointed - 20 Apr 1719 Died)
José del Yermo Santibáñez † (20 Mar 1720 Appointed - 8 Mar 1728 Appointed, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela)
Pedro Ayala, O.P. † (8 Mar 1728 Appointed - 22 Jun 1738 Resigned)
Narciso Queralt † (23 Jun 1738 Appointed - 12 Jan 1743 Died)
Pedro González García † (20 May 1743 Appointed - 7 Apr 1758 Died)
Romualdo Velarde y Cienfuegos † (2 Oct 1758 Appointed - 11 May 1766 Died)
Miguel Fernando Merino † (1 Dec 1766 Appointed - 10 Jul 1781 Died)
Antonio Sentmenat y Castellá † (17 Feb 1783 Appointed - 22 Jun 1784 Resigned)
Julián Gascueña Herráiz, O.F.M. Disc. † (20 Sep 1784 Confirmed - 23 Nov 1796 Died)
Francisco Javier Cabrera Velasco † (24 Jul 1797 Appointed - 22 Jan 1799 Died)
Rafael de Múzquiz y Aldunate † (15 Apr 1799 Appointed - 20 Jul 1801 Appointed, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela)
Manuel Gómez de Salazar † (29 Mar 1802 Appointed - 3 Nov 1815 Died)
Rodrigo Antonio de Orellana, O. Praem. † (21 Dec 1818 Appointed - 29 Jul 1822 Died)
Ramón María Adurriaga Uribe † (24 May 1824 Confirmed - 2 Feb 1841 Died)
Manuel López Santisteban † (17 Dec 1847 Appointed - 30 Apr 1852 Resigned)
Gregorio Sánchez y Jiménez (Rubio), O.S.H. † (27 Sep 1852 Confirmed - 17 Feb 1854 Died)
Juan Alfonso Albuquerque Berión † (23 Jun 1854 Confirmed - 25 Sep 1857 Confirmed, Bishop of Córdoba)
Fernando Blanco y Lorenzo, O.P. † (21 Dec 1857 Confirmed - 17 Sep 1875 Confirmed, Archbishop of Valladolid)
Pedro José Sánchez Carrascosa y Carrión, C.O. † (23 Sep 1875 Confirmed - 12 Jan 1882 Resigned)
Bl. Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás † (27 Mar 1882 Confirmed - 10 Jun 1886 Appointed, Bishop of Madrid)
Ramón Fernández Piérola y Lopez de Luzuriaca † (17 Mar 1887 Appointed - 30 Dec 1889 Appointed, Bishop of Vitoria)
Juan Muñoz y Herrera † (26 Jun 1890 Confirmed - 2 Dec 1895 Appointed, Bishop of Málaga)
José María Blanco Barón † (2 Dec 1895 Confirmed - 4 Apr 1897 Died)
Joaquín Beltrán y Asensio † (24 Mar 1898 Confirmed - 3 Nov 1917 Died)
Enrique Pla y Deniel † (4 Dec 1918 Appointed - 28 Jan 1935 Appointed, Bishop of Salamanca)
Santos Moro Briz † (21 Jun 1935 Appointed - 19 Oct 1968 Retired)
Maximino Romero de Lema † (19 Oct 1968 Appointed - 21 Mar 1973 Appointed, Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy)
Felipe Fernández García † (22 Oct 1976 Appointed - 12 Jun 1991 Appointed, Bishop of San Cristóbal de La Laguna o Tenerife)
Antonio Cañizares Llovera (6 Mar 1992 Appointed - 10 Dec 1996 Appointed, Archbishop of Granada)
Adolfo González Montes (26 May 1997 Appointed - 15 Apr 2002 Appointed, Bishop of Almería)
Jesús García Burillo (9 Jan 2003 Appointed - 6 Nov 2018 Retired)
José María Gil Tamayo (6 Nov 2018 Appointed - 16 Jul 2022 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Granada)
Jesús Rico García, H.S.O.D. (29 May 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
4th Century	Erected		Diocese of Ávila (erected)
711	Lost	Diocese of Ávila
11th Century	Restored		Diocese of Ávila
17 October 1954	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ávila (23 parishes in Valladolid)	Archdiocese of Valladolid
20 May 1955	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ávila (19 parishes in Toledo)	Archdiocese of Toledo
22 November 1955	Territory Added	Diocese of Segovia (Aldeavieja, Maello, and Peguerinos in Avila)	Diocese of Ávila
22 November 1955	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ávila (9 parishes in Segovia)	Diocese of Segovia
22 November 1955	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Toledo (Navahondilla in Avila)	Diocese of Ávila
12 June 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ávila (Guijo de Avila, Cespedosa, Bercimulle, Gallegos del Solmirón, Armenteros, Rágama, Oantaracillo, Bóveda del Bio Almar, Mancera de Abajo, Salmoral, Iñigos-Blasco, and Novaombela) Diocese of Coria-Cáceres (Salamanca)	Diocese of Salamanca
12 June 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ávila (Santibáñez de Béjar, Puente de Congosto, Navamorales, El Tejado, El Gordo, and Berrocalejo) Diocese of Coria-Cáceres (Santa María de Baños de Montemayor)	Diocese of Plasencia
12 June 1958	Territory Added	Diocese of Plasencia (Avila and N. S. dei Olmo de Aldeanueva del Camino)	Diocese of Ávila

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

1950 296,347 296,347 100.0% 291 54 345 858 130 553 393 ap1951

1959 268,790 268,790 100.0% 294 36 330 814 120 515 253 ap1960

1970 217,956 218,147 99.9% 252 56 308 707 101 692 256 ap1971

1980 193,000 194,913 99.0% 230 60 290 665 1 96 603 258 ap1981

1990 178,110 183,600 97.0% 217 55 272 654 89 590 260 ap1991

1999 166,550 170,550 97.7% 200 58 258 645 80 557 261 ap2000

2000 163,178 167,132 97.6% 197 58 255 639 80 521 261 ap2001

2001 162,020 166,259 97.5% 182 59 241 672 78 544 259 ap2002

2002 160,008 163,885 97.6% 187 77 264 606 152 524 254 ap2003

2003 162,014 165,138 98.1% 182 72 254 637 146 518 254 ap2004

2004 163,466 165,480 98.8% 184 69 253 646 2 147 519 254 ap2005

2006 165,539 167,032 99.1% 181 49 230 719 2 125 494 254 ap2007

2012 170,110 172,804 98.4% 166 64 230 739 3 134 470 254 ap2013

2015 155,800 166,318 93.7% 145 51 196 794 2 122 451 259 ap2016

2018 151,500 160,700 94.3% 128 50 178 851 1 123 468 265 ap2019

2020 148,600 157,640 94.3% 124 43 167 889 1 113 418 265 ap2021

2022 149,354 158,421 94.3% 125 45 170 878 1 117 453 265 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	296,347	296,347	100.0%	291	54	345	858		130	553	393	ap1951
1959	268,790	268,790	100.0%	294	36	330	814		120	515	253	ap1960
1970	217,956	218,147	99.9%	252	56	308	707		101	692	256	ap1971
1980	193,000	194,913	99.0%	230	60	290	665	1	96	603	258	ap1981
1990	178,110	183,600	97.0%	217	55	272	654		89	590	260	ap1991
1999	166,550	170,550	97.7%	200	58	258	645		80	557	261	ap2000
2000	163,178	167,132	97.6%	197	58	255	639		80	521	261	ap2001
2001	162,020	166,259	97.5%	182	59	241	672		78	544	259	ap2002
2002	160,008	163,885	97.6%	187	77	264	606		152	524	254	ap2003
2003	162,014	165,138	98.1%	182	72	254	637		146	518	254	ap2004
2004	163,466	165,480	98.8%	184	69	253	646	2	147	519	254	ap2005
2006	165,539	167,032	99.1%	181	49	230	719	2	125	494	254	ap2007
2012	170,110	172,804	98.4%	166	64	230	739	3	134	470	254	ap2013
2015	155,800	166,318	93.7%	145	51	196	794	2	122	451	259	ap2016
2018	151,500	160,700	94.3%	128	50	178	851	1	123	468	265	ap2019
2020	148,600	157,640	94.3%	124	43	167	889	1	113	418	265	ap2021
2022	149,354	158,421	94.3%	125	45	170	878	1	117	453	265	ap2023