Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B., Archbishop
Carlos Eduardo Márquez Delima, Auxiliary Bishop
Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 27 November 1803
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Venezuela
Square Kilometers: 814 (314 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesiscaracas.com/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Apartado 954, Monjas a Gradillas, Plaza Bolivar, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela
Telephone: (0212)953.06.78; 614.86.44

Historical Details

Diocese of Coro
- Latin Name: Corensis
- Erected: 21 June 1531
- Country: Venezuela
Diocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
- Latin Name: Caracensis o S. Iacobi in Venezuela
- Name Changed: 20 June 1637
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Santo Domingo
- Country: Venezuela

Past and Present Ordinaries

Rodrigo de Bastidas y Rodriguez de Romera † (21 Jun 1531 Appointed - 6 Jul 1541 Appointed, Bishop of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico))
Miguel Jerónimo de Ballesteros (Vallesteros) † (22 Aug 1546 Appointed - 1555 Died)
Juan Simancas Simancas † (12 Jun 1556 Appointed - 5 Dec 1561 Appointed, Bishop of Cartagena)
Pedro Sánchez Martín, O.P. † (27 Jun 1561 Appointed - 1580 Died)
Juan Manual Martínez de Manzanillo, O.P. † (23 Mar 1583 Appointed - 1 Jan 1592 Died)
Pedro Mártir Palomino, O.P. † (1 Jul 1594 Appointed - 22 Feb 1596 Died)
Domingo de Salinas, O.P. † (10 Nov 1597 Appointed - 10 Jun 1600 Died)
Domingo (Pedro) de Oña, O. de M. † (27 Aug 1601 Appointed - 27 Jun 1605 Appointed, Bishop of Gaeta)
Antonio de Alzega (Alcega), O.F.M. † (12 Dec 1605 Confirmed - 13 May 1610 Died)
Juan Bartolome de Bohórquez e Hinojosa, O.P. † (17 Jul 1611 Appointed - 13 Nov 1617 Appointed, Bishop of Antequera, Oaxaca)
Gonzalo de Angulo, O.M. † (20 Nov 1617 Appointed - 17 May 1633 Died)
Juan López de Agurto de la Mata † (20 Nov 1634 Confirmed - 24 Dec 1637 Died)
Mauro Diego (Marcos) de Tovar y Valle Maldonado, O.S.B. † (3 Oct 1639 Appointed - 16 Dec 1652 Appointed, Bishop of Chiapas (Ciudad Real de Chiapas))
Alonso de Briceño (Brizeño), O.F.M. Obs. † (18 Aug 1653 Appointed - 16 Nov 1668 Died)
Antonio González de Acuña, O.P. † (17 Nov 1670 Appointed - 22 Feb 1682 Died)
Diego de Baños y Sotomayor † (15 Feb 1683 Confirmed - 15 May 1706 Died)
Francisco del Rincón, O.M. † (26 Feb 1714 Appointed - 5 Oct 1716 Appointed, Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada)
Juan José de Escalona y Calatayud † (15 Mar 1717 Appointed - 15 Nov 1728 Appointed, Bishop of Michoacán)
José Félix Valverde † (15 Nov 1728 Appointed - 24 Nov 1738 Confirmed, Bishop of Michoacán)
Juan García Abadiano † (19 Dec 1738 Confirmed - 6 May 1747 Died)
Manuel Jiménez Bretón † (16 Sep 1748 Appointed - 30 Mar 1749 Died)
Manuel Machado y Luna † (22 Sep 1749 Confirmed - 29 Jan 1752 Died)
Francisco Julián Antolino † (25 Sep 1752 Confirmed - 6 Aug 1755 Died)
Diego Antonio Díez Madroñero † (24 May 1756 Appointed - 3 Feb 1769 Died)
Mariano Martí † (29 Jan 1770 Appointed - 20 Feb 1792 Died)
Juan Antonio Viana, O.C.D. † (24 Sep 1792 Appointed - 14 Aug 1798 Appointed, Bishop of Almería)
Francisco de Ibarra y Herrera † (14 Dec 1798 Appointed - 19 Sep 1806 Died)
Narciso Coll y Prat † (11 Jan 1808 Confirmed - 19 Apr 1822 Confirmed, Bishop of Palencia)
Ramón Ignacio Méndez † (21 May 1827 Appointed - 6 Aug 1839 Died)
Juan Antonio Ignacio Fernández Peña y Angulo † (15 Jul 1841 Appointed - 18 Jan 1849 Died)
Silvestre Guevara y Lira † (27 Sep 1852 Appointed - 6 Jul 1876 Resigned)
José Antonio Ponte † (29 Sep 1876 Appointed - 6 Nov 1883 Died)
Críspulo Uzcátegui † (13 Nov 1884 Appointed - 31 May 1904 Died)
Juan Bautista Castro † (31 May 1904 Succeeded - 7 Aug 1915 Died)
Felipe Rincón González † (10 Aug 1916 Appointed - 13 May 1946 Died)
Lucas Guillermo Castillo Hernández † (13 May 1946 Succeeded - 9 Sep 1955 Died)
Rafael Ignacio Arias Blanco † (9 Sep 1955 Succeeded - 30 Sep 1959 Died)
José Humberto Quintero Parra † (31 Aug 1960 Appointed - 24 May 1980 Retired)
José Alí Lebrún Moratinos † (24 May 1980 Succeeded - 27 May 1995 Retired)
Antonio Ignacio Velasco Garcia, S.D.B. † (27 May 1995 Appointed - 6 Jul 2003 Died)
Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino † (19 Sep 2005 Appointed - 9 Jul 2018 Retired)
Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo (17 Jan 2023 Appointed - 28 Jun 2024 Retired)
Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B. (28 Jun 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Coro
21 June 1531	Erected		Diocese of Coro (erected)
Diocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
20 June 1637	Name Changed	Diocese of Coro	Diocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
27 November 1803	Elevated	Diocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
7 March 1863	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela Diocese of Mérida	Diocese of Calabozo (erected)
12 October 1922	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela (Civil states of Carabobo and Jaracuy)	Diocese of Valencia en Venezuela (erected)
14 June 1954	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela (San Ioannis de los Morros)	Diocese of Calabozo
21 June 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Calabozo Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela	Diocese of Maracay (erected) (State of Aragua)
23 July 1965	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela (Miranda (except Sucre))	Diocese of Los Teques (erected)
15 April 1970	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela (Vargas)	Diocese of La Guaira (erected)
16 November 2021	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela (Sucre (Miranda))	Diocese of Petare (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 Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela

1950 740,515 755,000 98.1% 107 146 253 2,926 331 558 62 ap1951

1959 1,334,461 1,538,290 86.7% 142 322 464 2,875 566 1,261 96 ap1960

1966 1,741,608 1,777,152 98.0% 165 377 542 3,213 580 1,850 83 ap1967

1970 2,290,793 2,290,793 100.0% 297 440 737 3,108 617 1,650 93 ap1971

1976 2,200,000 2,500,000 88.0% 160 600 760 2,894 9 757 1,500 92 ap1977

1980 2,473,000 2,839,000 87.1% 132 519 651 3,798 10 712 1,453 96 ap1981

1990 3,073,000 3,573,000 86.0% 131 500 631 4,870 11 838 2,401 117 ap1991

1999 2,724,692 3,205,520 85.0% 103 500 603 4,518 14 743 1,200 121 ap2000

2000 3,700,000 5,000,000 74.0% 120 282 402 9,203 11 523 725 110 ap2001

2001 3,700,000 5,000,000 74.0% 118 245 363 10,192 11 523 725 110 ap2002

2002 3,700,000 5,000,000 74.0% 119 245 364 10,164 11 523 725 110 ap2003

2003 4,579,000 6,189,170 74.0% 120 245 365 12,545 13 476 1,198 105 ap2004

2004 3,400,000 4,000,000 85.0% 130 480 610 5,573 11 744 1,198 116 ap2005

2006 3,528,000 4,150,000 85.0% 140 419 559 6,311 13 730 1,332 111 ap2007

2013 3,960,000 4,644,000 85.3% 130 360 490 8,081 9 587 1,010 116 ap2014

2016 4,129,000 4,841,000 85.3% 113 340 453 9,114 24 520 1,002 118 ap2017

2019 4,291,750 5,031,810 85.3% 107 340 447 9,601 24 530 902 118 ap2020

2021 3,749,280 4,395,530 85.3% 93 295 388 9,663 25 488 838 96 ap2022

2023 2,980,120 3,461,834 86.1% 99 350 449 6,637 19 557 895 98 ap2024

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 Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
1950	740,515	755,000	98.1%	107	146	253	2,926		331	558	62	ap1951
1959	1,334,461	1,538,290	86.7%	142	322	464	2,875		566	1,261	96	ap1960
1966	1,741,608	1,777,152	98.0%	165	377	542	3,213		580	1,850	83	ap1967
1970	2,290,793	2,290,793	100.0%	297	440	737	3,108		617	1,650	93	ap1971
1976	2,200,000	2,500,000	88.0%	160	600	760	2,894	9	757	1,500	92	ap1977
1980	2,473,000	2,839,000	87.1%	132	519	651	3,798	10	712	1,453	96	ap1981
1990	3,073,000	3,573,000	86.0%	131	500	631	4,870	11	838	2,401	117	ap1991
1999	2,724,692	3,205,520	85.0%	103	500	603	4,518	14	743	1,200	121	ap2000
2000	3,700,000	5,000,000	74.0%	120	282	402	9,203	11	523	725	110	ap2001
2001	3,700,000	5,000,000	74.0%	118	245	363	10,192	11	523	725	110	ap2002
2002	3,700,000	5,000,000	74.0%	119	245	364	10,164	11	523	725	110	ap2003
2003	4,579,000	6,189,170	74.0%	120	245	365	12,545	13	476	1,198	105	ap2004
2004	3,400,000	4,000,000	85.0%	130	480	610	5,573	11	744	1,198	116	ap2005
2006	3,528,000	4,150,000	85.0%	140	419	559	6,311	13	730	1,332	111	ap2007
2013	3,960,000	4,644,000	85.3%	130	360	490	8,081	9	587	1,010	116	ap2014
2016	4,129,000	4,841,000	85.3%	113	340	453	9,114	24	520	1,002	118	ap2017
2019	4,291,750	5,031,810	85.3%	107	340	447	9,601	24	530	902	118	ap2020
2021	3,749,280	4,395,530	85.3%	93	295	388	9,663	25	488	838	96	ap2022
2023	2,980,120	3,461,834	86.1%	99	350	449	6,637	19	557	895	98	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Ricardo Aldo Barreto Cairo (Auxiliary Bishop: 17 Sep 2019 to 11 Jan 2024)
Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B. (Archbishop: 28 Jun 2024 - )
Fernando José Castro Aguayo (Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Jun 2009 to 4 Aug 2015)
José Antonio Da Conceição Ferreira
William Enrique Delgado Silva (Priest: 18 May 1975 to 3 Nov 1995)
José Trinidad Fernández Angulo (Auxiliary Bishop: 17 Apr 2014 to 15 Jul 2021)
Saúl Figueroa Albornoz (Priest: 16 Oct 1976; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Nov 1997 to 30 Apr 2011)
Jesús González de Zárate Salas (Priest: 11 Jan 1986; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Oct 2007 to 24 May 2018)
Riccardo Lamba
Carlos Eduardo Márquez Delima (Priest: 25 Jul 2003; Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Dec 2021)
Mario del Valle Moronta Rodríguez (Priest: 19 Apr 1975; Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Apr 1990 to 2 Dec 1995)
Diego Rafael Padrón Sánchez (Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Apr 1990 to 7 May 1994)
Enrique José Parravano Marino, S.D.B. (Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Apr 2016 to 19 Jul 2019)
Ramón Ovidio Pérez Morales (Priest: 26 Oct 1958; Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Dec 1970 to 20 May 1980)
Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo (Apostolic Administrator: 9 Jul 2018; Archbishop: 17 Jan 2023 to 28 Jun 2024)
Tulio Luis Ramírez Padilla (Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Apr 2012 to 11 Dec 2020)
Jonny Eduardo Reyes Sequera, S.D.B.
Lisandro Alirio Rivas Durán, I.M.C. (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Dec 2021 to 31 Oct 2024)
Ubaldo Ramón Santana Sequera, F.M.I. (Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Apr 1990 to 2 May 1991)
Luis Armando Tineo Rivera (Priest: 26 Jul 1980; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Feb 2007 to 23 Jul 2013)
José de la Trinidad Valera Angulo (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1997 to 18 Oct 2001)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Antonio de Alzega (Alcega), O.F.M. † (Bishop: 12 Dec 1605 to 13 May 1610)
Gonzalo de Angulo, O.M. † (Bishop: 20 Nov 1617 to 17 May 1633)
Rafael Ignacio Arias Blanco † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 23 Apr 1952; Archbishop: 9 Sep 1955 to 30 Sep 1959)
José Manuel Arroyo y Niño † (Deacon: 11 Dec 1836; Priest: 19 Aug 1838 to 19 Jun 1856)
Manuel Arteaga y Betancourt † (Deacon: 7 Dec 1902; Priest: 17 Apr 1904 to 1912)
Miguel Jerónimo de Ballesteros (Vallesteros) † (Bishop: 22 Aug 1546 to 1555)
Diego de Baños y Sotomayor † (Bishop: 15 Feb 1683 to 15 May 1706)
Rodrigo de Bastidas y Rodriguez de Romera † (Bishop: 21 Jun 1531 to 6 Jul 1541)
Pedro Nicolás Bermúdez Villamizar, C.I.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1997 to 17 Jan 2009; Apostolic Administrator: 7 Jul 2003 to 5 Nov 2005)
Juan Bartolome de Bohórquez e Hinojosa, O.P. † (Bishop: 17 Jul 1611 to 13 Nov 1617)
Alonso de Briceño (Brizeño), O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 18 Aug 1653 to 16 Nov 1668)
Lucas Guillermo Castillo Hernández † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 10 Nov 1939; Archbishop: 13 May 1946 to 9 Sep 1955)
Juan Bautista Castro † (Priest: 25 Dec 1870; Coadjutor Archbishop: 30 Dec 1903; Archbishop: 31 May 1904 to 7 Aug 1915)
Narciso Coll y Prat † (Archbishop: 11 Jan 1808 to 19 Apr 1822)
Rafael Ramón Conde Alfonzo † (Priest: 8 Dec 1968; Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Dec 1995 to 21 Aug 1997)
Salustiano Crespo †
Roberto Antonio Dávila Uzcátegui † (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Jun 1992 to 12 Dec 2005)
Miguel Delgado Avila, S.D.B. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Jul 1979 to 16 Nov 1991)
Francisco del Rincón, O.M. † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 26 Feb 1714 to 5 Oct 1716)
Diego Antonio Díez Madroñero † (Bishop: 24 May 1756 to 3 Feb 1769)
Juan José de Escalona y Calatayud † (Bishop: 15 Mar 1717 to 15 Nov 1728)
Alejandro Fernández Feo-Tinoco † (Priest: 25 Oct 1931 to 23 Apr 1952)
Juan Antonio Ignacio Fernández Peña y Angulo † (Archbishop: 15 Jul 1841 to 18 Jan 1849)
Juan García Abadiano † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1738 to 6 May 1747)
Antonio González de Acuña, O.P. † (Bishop: 17 Nov 1670 to 22 Feb 1682)
Silvestre Guevara y Lira † (Archbishop: 27 Sep 1852 to 6 Jul 1876)
José Vicente Henriquez Andueza, S.D.B. † (Auxiliary Bishop: Jun 1985 to 24 Jun 1987)
Luis Eduardo Henríquez Jiménez † (Auxiliary Bishop: 12 May 1962 to 9 Nov 1972)
Vicente Ramón Hernández Peña † (Auxiliary Bishop: 3 May 1974 to 28 Jan 1976)
Francisco de Ibarra y Herrera † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1798; Archbishop: 27 Nov 1803 to 19 Sep 1806)
Francisco José Iturriza Guillén, S.D.B. †
Manuel Jiménez Bretón † (Bishop: 16 Sep 1748 to 30 Mar 1749)
Francisco Julián Antolino † (Bishop: 25 Sep 1752 to 6 Aug 1755)
José Alí Lebrún Moratinos † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 21 Sep 1972; Archbishop: 24 May 1980 to 27 May 1995)
Ramón J. Lizardi † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 May 1956 to 30 Jul 1972)
Juan López de Agurto de la Mata † (Bishop: 20 Nov 1634 to 24 Dec 1637)
Román Lovera † (Priest: 23 Apr 1865 to 20 Aug 1880)
Manuel Machado y Luna † (Bishop: 22 Sep 1749 to 29 Jan 1752)
Mariano Martí † (Bishop: 29 Jan 1770 to 20 Feb 1792)
Juan Manual Martínez de Manzanillo, O.P. † (Bishop: 23 Mar 1583 to 1 Jan 1592)
Francisco Marvéz †
Ramón Ignacio Méndez † (Archbishop: 21 May 1827 to 6 Aug 1839)
Domingo de Silos Santiago Apollinario Moreno, O.S.B. † (Apostolic Administrator: 16 Mar 1818 to 21 Mar 1825)
Nicolás Eugenio Navarro † (Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Feb 1943 to 6 Nov 1960)
Domingo (Pedro) de Oña, O. de M. † (Bishop: 27 Aug 1601 to 27 Jun 1605)
Pedro Mártir Palomino, O.P. † (Bishop: 1 Jul 1594 to 22 Feb 1596)
Jesús Maria Pellin † (Priest: 25 May 1918; Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Jul 1965 to 19 Nov 1969)
José Antonio Ponte † (Archbishop: 29 Sep 1876 to 6 Nov 1883)
José Humberto Quintero Parra † (Archbishop: 31 Aug 1960 to 24 May 1980)
Marcial Augusto Ramírez Ponce † (Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Dec 1972 to 11 Feb 1996)
José Rincón Bonilla † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1961 to 14 May 1984)
Felipe Rincón González † (Archbishop: 10 Aug 1916 to 13 May 1946)
Manuel Felipe Rodríguez Delgado †
Alfredo José Rodríguez Figueroa † (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jul 1974 to 12 Mar 1987)
Gregorio Rodríguez y Obregón †
Domingo de Salinas, O.P. † (Bishop: 10 Nov 1597 to 10 Jun 1600)
Pedro Sánchez Martín, O.P. † (Bishop: 27 Jun 1561 to 1580)
Antonio Ramón Silva †
Juan Simancas Simancas † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1556 to 5 Dec 1561)
Pedro Pablo Tenreiro Francia †
Mauro Diego (Marcos) de Tovar y Valle Maldonado, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 3 Oct 1639 to 16 Dec 1652)
Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino † (Priest: 15 Aug 1967; Auxiliary Bishop: 3 Jul 1982 to 16 Mar 1990; Archbishop: 19 Sep 2005 to 9 Jul 2018)
Críspulo Uzcátegui † (Archbishop: 13 Nov 1884 to 31 May 1904)
José Félix Valverde † (Bishop: 15 Nov 1728 to 24 Nov 1738)
Antonio Ignacio Velasco Garcia, S.D.B. † (Archbishop: 27 May 1995 to 6 Jul 2003)
Juan Antonio Viana, O.C.D. † (Bishop: 24 Sep 1792 to 14 Aug 1798)

Source(s)

Diocese of Coro
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 3, Page 329, and Page 330
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 166

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Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela

Archidioecesis Caracensis o S. Iacobi in Venezuela