Limón (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Javier Gerardo Román Arias, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 30 December 1994
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Costa Rica
Square Kilometers: 9,189 (3,549 Square Miles)
Description: Entire Caribbean province of Costa Rica, three Forane Vicariates: San Marcos, San Lucas, and San Mateo
Official Web Site: https://www.diocesisdelimon.org
Mailing Address: Obispado, Apartado 1312, 7300 Limón, Costa Rica
Telephone: 2798.08.98; 2758.00.93
Fax: 2758.00.93

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Limón
- Latin Name: Limonensis
- Erected: 16 February 1921
- Vicariate
- Country: Costa Rica

Past and Present Ordinaries

Agustín Blessing Presinger, C.M. † (16 Dec 1921 Appointed - 1 Feb 1934 Died)
Karl Albert Wollgarten, C.M. † (28 Jan 1935 Appointed - 28 Apr 1937 Died)
Johann Paul Odendahl Metz, C.M. † (10 Feb 1938 Appointed - 13 Jan 1957 Died)
Alfonso Hoefer (Höfer) Hombach, C.M. † (7 Jan 1958 Appointed - 15 Nov 1979 Resigned)
Alfonso Coto Monge † (7 Mar 1980 Appointed - 30 Dec 1994 Resigned)
José Francisco Ulloa Rojas (30 Dec 1994 Appointed - 24 May 2005 Appointed, Bishop of Cartago)
José Rafael Quirós Quirós (2 Dec 2005 Appointed - 4 Jul 2013 Appointed, Archbishop of San José de Costa Rica)
Javier Gerardo Román Arias (21 Mar 2015 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Limón
16 February 1921	Erected	Diocese of San José de Costa Rica (Limón and the Carthaginian Canton of Turrialba)	Vicariate Apostolic of Limón (erected)
1 April 1927	Territory Added	Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica (Turrialba and part of Heredia)	Vicariate Apostolic of Limón
Diocese of Limón
30 December 1994	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Limón	Diocese of Limón
24 May 2005	Territory Lost	Diocese of Limón (Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles; San Buenaventura; San Isidro Labrador; Santa Cruz; Santa Rosa de Lima, and Santa Teresita) Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica	Diocese of Cartago (erected) (San Cristobal del Cantón de Desamparados and Cartago except La Union)
28 June 2006	Territory Lost	Diocese of Limón (San Antonio en Turrialba)	Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica

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

Vicariate Apostolic of Limón

1949 60,100 75,250 79.9% 1 10 11 5,463 11 6 ap1951

1966 120,000 140,000 85.7% 5 9 14 8,571 9 30 9 ap1967

1970 118,809 134,955 88.0% 19 10 29 4,096 10 33 13 ap1971

1976 147,562 167,562 88.1% 10 7 17 8,680 8 31 15 ap1977

1980 152,350 184,082 82.8% 9 10 19 8,018 21 33 15 ap1981

1990 223,762 265,559 84.3% 16 12 28 7,991 12 45 16 ap1991

Diocese of Limón

1999 319,857 383,402 83.4% 29 12 41 7,801 13 42 19 ap2000

2000 326,000 390,000 83.6% 33 7 40 8,150 8 44 20 ap2001

2001 327,401 409,251 80.0% 31 7 38 8,615 8 42 20 ap2002

2002 327,401 409,251 80.0% 34 6 40 8,185 7 40 20 ap2003

2003 333,580 427,667 78.0% 31 7 38 8,778 9 49 20 ap2004

2004 348,591 446,912 78.0% 30 6 36 9,683 7 45 21 ap2005

2013 263,453 323,000 81.6% 20 3 23 11,454 4 32 15 ap2014

2016 273,394 335,162 81.6% 21 2 23 11,886 3 31 15 ap2017

2019 322,316 449,781 71.7% 27 4 31 10,397 6 39 16 ap2020

2021 333,330 465,140 71.7% 31 4 35 9,523 5 32 17 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Limón
1949	60,100	75,250	79.9%	1	10	11	5,463	11		6	ap1951
1966	120,000	140,000	85.7%	5	9	14	8,571	9	30	9	ap1967
1970	118,809	134,955	88.0%	19	10	29	4,096	10	33	13	ap1971
1976	147,562	167,562	88.1%	10	7	17	8,680	8	31	15	ap1977
1980	152,350	184,082	82.8%	9	10	19	8,018	21	33	15	ap1981
1990	223,762	265,559	84.3%	16	12	28	7,991	12	45	16	ap1991
Diocese of Limón
1999	319,857	383,402	83.4%	29	12	41	7,801	13	42	19	ap2000
2000	326,000	390,000	83.6%	33	7	40	8,150	8	44	20	ap2001
2001	327,401	409,251	80.0%	31	7	38	8,615	8	42	20	ap2002
2002	327,401	409,251	80.0%	34	6	40	8,185	7	40	20	ap2003
2003	333,580	427,667	78.0%	31	7	38	8,778	9	49	20	ap2004
2004	348,591	446,912	78.0%	30	6	36	9,683	7	45	21	ap2005
2013	263,453	323,000	81.6%	20	3	23	11,454	4	32	15	ap2014
2016	273,394	335,162	81.6%	21	2	23	11,886	3	31	15	ap2017
2019	322,316	449,781	71.7%	27	4	31	10,397	6	39	16	ap2020
2021	333,330	465,140	71.7%	31	4	35	9,523	5	32	17	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

José Rafael Quirós Quirós (Bishop: 2 Dec 2005 to 4 Jul 2013)
Javier Gerardo Román Arias (Bishop: 21 Mar 2015 - )
José Francisco Ulloa Rojas (Bishop: 30 Dec 1994 to 24 May 2005)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Agustín Blessing Presinger, C.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 16 Dec 1921 to 1 Feb 1934)
Alfonso Coto Monge † (Vicar Apostolic: 7 Mar 1980 to 30 Dec 1994)
Alfonso Hoefer (Höfer) Hombach, C.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 7 Jan 1958 to 15 Nov 1979)
Johann Paul Odendahl Metz, C.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 10 Feb 1938 to 13 Jan 1957)
Karl Albert Wollgarten, C.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 28 Jan 1935 to 28 Apr 1937)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Limón
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 13, Page 252, to Page 255
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 19, Page 412, and Page 413
Diocese of Limón
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 87, Page 338, to Page 340

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Diocese of Limón

Dioecesis Limonensis