Cumaná (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Mariano José Parra Sandoval, Apostolic Administrator
Diego Rafael Padrón Sánchez, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 16 May 1992
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Venezuela
Square Kilometers: 5,972 (2,306 Square Miles)
Description: Sucre, Montes, Cruz Salmerón Acosta, Bolívar, Mejías, Rivero, and Andrés Eloy Blanco
Official Web Site: https://arquidiocesisdecumana.es.tl
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Calle Bolivar 34, Cumana 6101-A, Edo. Sucre, Venezuela
Telephone: (0293)431.41.31
Fax: 433.34.13

Historical Details

Diocese of Cumaná
- Latin Name: Cumanensis
- Erected: 12 October 1922
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Ciudad Bolívar
- Country: Venezuela

Past and Present Ordinaries

Sixto Sosa Díaz † (16 Jun 1923 Appointed - 29 May 1943 Died)
Crisanto Darío Mata Cova † (21 Oct 1949 Appointed - 30 Apr 1966 Appointed, Archbishop of Ciudad Bolívar)
Mariano José Parra León † (30 Nov 1966 Appointed - 12 Mar 1987 Retired)
Alfredo José Rodríguez Figueroa † (12 Mar 1987 Appointed - 17 Sep 2001 Died)
Diego Rafael Padrón Sánchez (27 Mar 2002 Appointed - 24 May 2018 Retired)
Jesús González de Zárate Salas (24 May 2018 Appointed - 28 Jun 2024 Appointed, Archbishop of Valencia en Venezuela)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Cumaná
12 October 1922	Erected	Diocese of Guayana (Civil states of Sucre and Nueva Esparta)	Diocese of Cumaná (erected)
21 June 1958	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Cumaná (from Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
18 July 1969	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cumaná (Estado Nueva Esparta)	Diocese of Margarita (erected)
Archdiocese of Cumaná
16 May 1992	Elevated	Diocese of Cumaná	Archdiocese of Cumaná
4 April 2000	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Cumaná (Bermúdez, Arismendi, Benítez, Valdez, Marino, Andrés Mata, Cajigal, and Libertador)	Diocese of Carúpano (erected)

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 Cumaná

1949 380,000 .0% 15 14 29 0 12 35 21 ap1951

1966 525,000 535,900 98.0% 38 15 53 9,905 16 91 35 ap1967

1970 475,447 484,447 98.1% 27 21 48 9,905 22 60 31 ap1971

1976 500,782 510,607 98.1% 26 20 46 10,886 21 70 35 ap1977

1980 569,600 583,000 97.7% 35 16 51 11,168 17 69 39 ap1981

1990 646,000 694,000 93.1% 34 12 46 14,043 13 70 55 ap1991

Archdiocese of Cumaná

1999 781,276 822,396 95.0% 37 18 55 14,205 19 77 43 ap2000

2000 306,500 319,208 96.0% 28 8 36 8,513 9 59 23 ap2001

2001 480,000 505,864 94.9% 24 11 35 13,714 12 41 24 ap2003

2003 540,000 600,012 90.0% 25 10 35 15,428 12 45 24 ap2004

2004 612,055 680,075 90.0% 23 10 33 18,547 11 45 23 ap2005

2006 489,000 515,000 95.0% 19 9 28 17,464 10 47 24 ap2007

2013 589,000 728,000 80.9% 28 6 34 17,323 6 42 24 ap2014

2016 613,292 780,554 78.6% 26 1 27 22,714 1 14 23 ap2017

2019 603,389 685,561 88.0% 23 1 24 25,141 1 27 24 ap2020

2021 607,364 716,708 84.7% 29 1 30 20,245 1 10 24 ap2022

2023 616,271 726,893 84.8% 29 1 30 20,542 1 15 28 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Cumaná
1949		380,000	.0%	15	14	29	0	12	35	21	ap1951
1966	525,000	535,900	98.0%	38	15	53	9,905	16	91	35	ap1967
1970	475,447	484,447	98.1%	27	21	48	9,905	22	60	31	ap1971
1976	500,782	510,607	98.1%	26	20	46	10,886	21	70	35	ap1977
1980	569,600	583,000	97.7%	35	16	51	11,168	17	69	39	ap1981
1990	646,000	694,000	93.1%	34	12	46	14,043	13	70	55	ap1991
Archdiocese of Cumaná
1999	781,276	822,396	95.0%	37	18	55	14,205	19	77	43	ap2000
2000	306,500	319,208	96.0%	28	8	36	8,513	9	59	23	ap2001
2001	480,000	505,864	94.9%	24	11	35	13,714	12	41	24	ap2003
2003	540,000	600,012	90.0%	25	10	35	15,428	12	45	24	ap2004
2004	612,055	680,075	90.0%	23	10	33	18,547	11	45	23	ap2005
2006	489,000	515,000	95.0%	19	9	28	17,464	10	47	24	ap2007
2013	589,000	728,000	80.9%	28	6	34	17,323	6	42	24	ap2014
2016	613,292	780,554	78.6%	26	1	27	22,714	1	14	23	ap2017
2019	603,389	685,561	88.0%	23	1	24	25,141	1	27	24	ap2020
2021	607,364	716,708	84.7%	29	1	30	20,245	1	10	24	ap2022
2023	616,271	726,893	84.8%	29	1	30	20,542	1	15	28	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Rafael Ignacio Arias Blanco † (Auxiliary Bishop: 21 Jun 1937 to 12 Nov 1939)
Eduardo Herrera Riera † (Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Jan 1965 to 30 Nov 1966)
Tomás Enrique Márquez Gómez † (Priest: 14 Jul 1940 to 25 Jun 1963)
Crisanto Darío Mata Cova † (Bishop: 21 Oct 1949 to 30 Apr 1966)
Mariano José Parra León † (Bishop: 30 Nov 1966 to 12 Mar 1987)
Antonio José Ramírez Salaverría † (Priest: 14 Jul 1940 to 24 May 1958)
Alfredo José Rodríguez Figueroa † (Bishop: 12 Mar 1987; Archbishop: 16 May 1992 to 17 Sep 2001)
Sixto Sosa Díaz † (Bishop: 16 Jun 1923 to 29 May 1943)
Pedro Pablo Tenreiro Francia † (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Aug 1939 to 23 Oct 1954)

Source(s)

Diocese of Cumaná
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 15, Page 99, to Page 102
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 51, Page 211, to Page 213
Archdiocese of Cumaná
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 84, Page 938, and Page 939

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Archdiocese of Cumaná

Archidioecesis Cumanensis