Ciudad Bolívar (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Ulises Antonio Gutiérrez Reyes, O. de M., Archbishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 21 June 1958
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Venezuela
Square Kilometers: 109,769 (42,398 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Apartado 43, Avda. Andres Eloy Blanco con Avda. Naiguata, Ciudad Bolivar 8001, Edo. Bolivar, Venezuela
Telephone: (0285)654.49.60

Historical Details

Diocese of Guayana
- Latin Name: Guayensis
- Erected: 20 May 1790
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
- Country: Venezuela
- Description: Santo Tomás de Guayana
Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
- Latin Name: Civitatis Bolivarensis
- Name Changed: 2 January 1953
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
- Country: Venezuela

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francisco de Ibarra y Herrera † (19 Dec 1791 Confirmed - 14 Dec 1798 Appointed, Bishop of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
José Antonio García Mohedano † (11 Aug 1800 Appointed - 17 Oct 1804 Died)
Mariano Talavera y Garcés † (22 Dec 1828 Appointed - 1842 Resigned)
Mariano Fernández Fortique † (12 Jul 1841 Appointed - 6 Feb 1854 Resigned)
José Manuel Arroyo y Niño † (19 Jun 1856 Appointed - 30 Nov 1884 Died)
Manuel Felipe Rodríguez Delgado † (30 Jul 1885 Appointed - 13 Dec 1887 Died)
Antonio María Durán † (25 Sep 1891 Appointed - 18 Jul 1917 Died)
Sixto Sosa Díaz † (5 Dec 1918 Appointed - 16 Jun 1923 Appointed, Bishop of Cumaná)
Miguel Antonio Mejía † (22 Jun 1923 Appointed - 6 Oct 1947 Died)
Juan José Bernal Ortiz † (21 Oct 1949 Appointed - 25 Jul 1965 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Los Teques)
Crisanto Darío Mata Cova † (30 Apr 1966 Appointed - 26 May 1986 Retired)
Medardo Luis Luzardo Romero † (26 May 1986 Appointed - 27 Aug 2011 Retired)
Ulises Antonio Gutiérrez Reyes, O. de M. (27 Aug 2011 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Guayana
20 May 1790	Erected	Diocese of Puerto Rico (Porto Rico)	Diocese of Guayana (erected)
23 February 1818	Territory Lost	Diocese of Guayana	Vicariate Apostolic of Trinidad (erected)
4 March 1922	Territory Lost	Diocese of Guayana	Vicariate Apostolic of Caroní (erected)
12 October 1922	Territory Lost	Diocese of Guayana (Civil states of Sucre and Nueva Esparta)	Diocese of Cumaná (erected)
5 February 1932	Territory Lost	Diocese of Guayana (Amazonas and La Urbana)	Prefecture Apostolic of Alto Orinoco (erected)
Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
2 January 1953	Name Changed	Diocese of Guayana	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
4 June 1954	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of Puerto Ayacucho (La Urbana)	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
7 June 1954	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar (Anzoátegui)	Diocese of Barcelona (erected)
24 May 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar (Monagas)	Diocese of Maturín (erected)
Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
21 June 1958	Elevated	Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar	Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
20 August 1979	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar (Caroni and Andrés Eloy Blanco in Piar)	Diocese of Ciudad Guayana (erected)
25 March 1988	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar (Par, Roscio, and Sifontes)	Diocese of Ciudad Guayana

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 Guayana

1950 378,000 385,000 98.2% 18 12 30 12,600 30 ap1951

Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar

Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar

1966 235,800 263,000 89.7% 22 21 43 5,483 21 75 21 ap1967

1970 305,000 330,000 92.4% 22 26 48 6,354 28 96 27 ap1971

1976 373,000 406,665 91.7% 23 28 51 7,313 37 108 34 ap1977

1980 243,000 269,762 90.1% 18 13 31 7,838 3 14 51 27 ap1981

1990 300,000 320,000 93.8% 14 8 22 13,636 9 70 16 ap1991

1999 380,000 405,000 93.8% 17 11 28 13,571 11 63 23 ap2000

2000 460,750 475,000 97.0% 18 11 29 15,887 11 70 23 ap2001

2001 487,000 500,000 97.4% 21 14 35 13,914 14 70 23 ap2002

2002 487,000 500,000 97.4% 20 14 34 14,323 14 67 24 ap2003

2003 490,000 503,000 97.4% 19 13 32 15,312 13 69 24 ap2004

2004 500,000 516,000 96.9% 22 13 35 14,285 13 66 24 ap2005

2006 547,000 570,000 96.0% 19 13 32 17,093 2 13 53 25 ap2007

2013 589,000 621,000 94.8% 33 9 42 14,023 2 10 56 23 ap2014

2016 614,306 646,744 95.0% 32 8 40 15,357 2 8 53 25 ap2017

2019 622,000 654,000 95.1% 29 6 35 17,771 1 11 42 27 ap2020

2021 637,000 670,000 95.1% 25 5 30 21,233 2 9 34 25 ap2022

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 Guayana
1950	378,000	385,000	98.2%	18	12	30	12,600				30	ap1951
Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
1966	235,800	263,000	89.7%	22	21	43	5,483		21	75	21	ap1967
1970	305,000	330,000	92.4%	22	26	48	6,354		28	96	27	ap1971
1976	373,000	406,665	91.7%	23	28	51	7,313		37	108	34	ap1977
1980	243,000	269,762	90.1%	18	13	31	7,838	3	14	51	27	ap1981
1990	300,000	320,000	93.8%	14	8	22	13,636		9	70	16	ap1991
1999	380,000	405,000	93.8%	17	11	28	13,571		11	63	23	ap2000
2000	460,750	475,000	97.0%	18	11	29	15,887		11	70	23	ap2001
2001	487,000	500,000	97.4%	21	14	35	13,914		14	70	23	ap2002
2002	487,000	500,000	97.4%	20	14	34	14,323		14	67	24	ap2003
2003	490,000	503,000	97.4%	19	13	32	15,312		13	69	24	ap2004
2004	500,000	516,000	96.9%	22	13	35	14,285		13	66	24	ap2005
2006	547,000	570,000	96.0%	19	13	32	17,093	2	13	53	25	ap2007
2013	589,000	621,000	94.8%	33	9	42	14,023	2	10	56	23	ap2014
2016	614,306	646,744	95.0%	32	8	40	15,357	2	8	53	25	ap2017
2019	622,000	654,000	95.1%	29	6	35	17,771	1	11	42	27	ap2020
2021	637,000	670,000	95.1%	25	5	30	21,233	2	9	34	25	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Ulises Antonio Gutiérrez Reyes, O. de M. (Archbishop: 27 Aug 2011)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

José Manuel Arroyo y Niño † (Bishop: 19 Jun 1856 to 30 Nov 1884)
Juan José Bernal Ortiz † (Bishop: 21 Oct 1949; Archbishop: 21 Jun 1958 to 25 Jul 1965)
Antonio María Durán † (Bishop: 25 Sep 1891 to 18 Jul 1917)
Mariano Fernández Fortique † (Bishop: 12 Jul 1841 to 6 Feb 1854)
José Antonio García Mohedano † (Bishop: 11 Aug 1800 to 17 Oct 1804)
Francisco de Guruceaga Iturriza † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 Mar 1967 to 18 Jun 1969)
Francisco de Ibarra y Herrera † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1791 to 14 Dec 1798)
Medardo Luis Luzardo Romero † (Archbishop: 26 May 1986 to 27 Aug 2011)
Constantino Maradei Donato †
Tomás Enrique Márquez Gómez † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Jun 1963 to 30 Nov 1966)
Crisanto Darío Mata Cova † (Archbishop: 30 Apr 1966 to 26 May 1986)
Miguel Antonio Mejía † (Bishop: 22 Jun 1923 to 6 Oct 1947)
José de Jesús Nuñez Viloria † (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Jan 1982 to 13 Jan 1987)
Manuel Felipe Rodríguez Delgado † (Bishop: 30 Jul 1885 to 13 Dec 1887)
Sixto Sosa Díaz † (Apostolic Administrator: 14 Jun 1915; Bishop: 5 Dec 1918 to 16 Jun 1923)
Mariano Talavera y Garcés † (Vicar Apostolic: 22 Dec 1828 to 1842)
José Ventura y Cabello †

Source(s)

Diocese of Guayana
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 151
Diocese of Ciudad Bolívar
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 45, Page 300
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 46, Page 461, and Page 462
Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 51, Page 211, to Page 213

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Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar

Archidioecesis Civitatis Bolivarensis