Maracaibo (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

José Luis Azuaje Ayala, Archbishop
Ubaldo Ramón Santana Sequera, F.M.I., Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 30 April 1966
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Venezuela
Square Kilometers: 12,319 (4,758 Square Miles)
Description: Almirante Padilla, Mara, Páez, Maracaibo, San Francisco, Jesús Enrique Losada, and La Cañada de Urdaneta
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Calle 95 entre Avenidas 2 y 3, Apartado 439, Maracaibo 4001, Edo. Zulia, Venezuela
Telephone: (0261)7225.351; (0412)5470.157

Historical Details

Diocese of Zulia
- Latin Name: Zuliensis
- Erected: 28 July 1897
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mérida
- Country: Venezuela
Diocese of Maracaibo
- Latin Name: Maracaibensis
- Name Changed: 2 January 1953
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mérida
- Country: Venezuela

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francisco Marvéz † (25 Oct 1897 Appointed - 17 Dec 1904 Died)
Arturo Celestino Álvarez † (16 Aug 1910 Appointed - 18 Dec 1919 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Calabozo)
Marcos Sergio Godoy † (8 Mar 1920 Appointed - 21 Oct 1957 Died)
José Rafael Pulido Méndez † (21 Jun 1958 Appointed - 16 Jan 1961 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Mérida)
Domingo Roa Pérez † (16 Jan 1961 Appointed - 23 Dec 1992 Retired)
Ramón Ovidio Pérez Morales (23 Dec 1992 Appointed - 5 Jun 1999 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Los Teques)
Ubaldo Ramón Santana Sequera, F.M.I. (11 Nov 2000 Appointed - 24 May 2018 Retired)
José Luis Azuaje Ayala (24 May 2018 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Zulia
28 July 1897	Erected	Diocese of Mérida	Diocese of Zulia (erected)
11 June 1923	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Zulia (from Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
26 May 1943	Territory Lost	Diocese of Zulia (Paez, Perijà, northern part of Mara, and part of Colon)	Vicariate Apostolic of Machiques (erected)
Diocese of Maracaibo
2 January 1953	Name Changed	Diocese of Zulia	Diocese of Maracaibo
23 July 1965	Territory Lost	Diocese of Maracaibo (Miranda, Bolivar, Baralt, and Sucre within Zulia)	Diocese of Cabimas (erected)
Archdiocese of Maracaibo
30 April 1966	Elevated	Diocese of Maracaibo	Archdiocese of Maracaibo
7 July 1994	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cabimas (Sucre) Archdiocese of Maracaibo (Colón) Archdiocese of Mérida (Alberto Adriani, Obispo Ramos de Lora, Caracciolo Parra y Olmedo, Tulio Febres Cordero, Justo Briceño, and Julio César Salas)	Diocese of El Vigia-San Carlos del Zulia (erected)
28 January 1995	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of Machiques (Páez and Northern part of Mara along with Gonzalo Antonio)	Archdiocese of Maracaibo
28 January 1995	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Maracaibo (Parts of Encontrados and Udón Pérez)	Vicariate Apostolic of Machiques

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 Zulia

1949 286,000 290,000 98.6% 29 20 49 5,836 34 150 21 ap1951

Diocese of Maracaibo

Archdiocese of Maracaibo

1966 620,000 650,000 95.4% 44 88 132 4,696 120 318 31 ap1967

1970 760,000 800,000 95.0% 48 94 142 5,352 141 320 43 ap1971

1976 950,000 1,100,000 86.4% 35 76 111 8,558 104 178 50 ap1977

1980 815,000 865,000 94.2% 36 84 120 6,791 98 300 51 ap1981

1990 1,415,000 1,505,000 94.0% 45 80 125 11,320 92 295 55 ap1991

1999 1,747,000 2,083,785 83.8% 79 63 142 12,302 4 92 296 60 ap2000

2000 1,785,000 2,100,000 85.0% 69 61 130 13,730 4 91 300 60 ap2001

2001 1,785,000 2,100,000 85.0% 72 61 133 13,421 4 91 300 60 ap2002

2002 1,785,000 2,100,000 85.0% 75 61 136 13,125 4 91 300 60 ap2003

2003 1,625,415 1,888,000 86.1% 73 55 128 12,698 4 83 273 66 ap2004

2004 1,863,690 2,006,757 92.9% 71 50 121 15,402 7 71 275 65 ap2005

2013 2,161,000 2,329,000 92.8% 65 58 123 17,569 20 72 204 64 ap2014

2016 2,252,454 2,427,826 92.8% 90 31 121 18,615 19 47 208 68 ap2017

2019 2,340,800 2,523,100 92.8% 85 26 111 21,088 27 33 90 69 ap2020

2021 2,398,440 2,585,150 92.8% 71 16 87 27,568 12 20 90 73 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 Zulia
1949	286,000	290,000	98.6%	29	20	49	5,836		34	150	21	ap1951
Diocese of Maracaibo
Archdiocese of Maracaibo
1966	620,000	650,000	95.4%	44	88	132	4,696		120	318	31	ap1967
1970	760,000	800,000	95.0%	48	94	142	5,352		141	320	43	ap1971
1976	950,000	1,100,000	86.4%	35	76	111	8,558		104	178	50	ap1977
1980	815,000	865,000	94.2%	36	84	120	6,791		98	300	51	ap1981
1990	1,415,000	1,505,000	94.0%	45	80	125	11,320		92	295	55	ap1991
1999	1,747,000	2,083,785	83.8%	79	63	142	12,302	4	92	296	60	ap2000
2000	1,785,000	2,100,000	85.0%	69	61	130	13,730	4	91	300	60	ap2001
2001	1,785,000	2,100,000	85.0%	72	61	133	13,421	4	91	300	60	ap2002
2002	1,785,000	2,100,000	85.0%	75	61	136	13,125	4	91	300	60	ap2003
2003	1,625,415	1,888,000	86.1%	73	55	128	12,698	4	83	273	66	ap2004
2004	1,863,690	2,006,757	92.9%	71	50	121	15,402	7	71	275	65	ap2005
2013	2,161,000	2,329,000	92.8%	65	58	123	17,569	20	72	204	64	ap2014
2016	2,252,454	2,427,826	92.8%	90	31	121	18,615	19	47	208	68	ap2017
2019	2,340,800	2,523,100	92.8%	85	26	111	21,088	27	33	90	69	ap2020
2021	2,398,440	2,585,150	92.8%	71	16	87	27,568	12	20	90	73	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Arturo Celestino Álvarez † (Bishop: 16 Aug 1910 to 18 Dec 1919)
Cástor Oswaldo Azuaje Pérez, O.C.D. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Jun 2007 to 3 Apr 2012)
Marcos Sergio Godoy † (Bishop: 8 Mar 1920 to 21 Oct 1957)
José Alí Lebrún Moratinos † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Aug 1956 to 21 Jun 1958; Apostolic Administrator: 23 Oct 1957 to 21 Jun 1958)
Antonio José López Castillo † (Priest: 18 Jul 1970; Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Feb 1988 to 1 Aug 1992)
Roberto Lückert León † (Priest: 14 Aug 1966 to 27 Apr 1985)
Francisco Marvéz † (Bishop: 25 Oct 1897 to 17 Dec 1904)
José Rafael Pulido Méndez † (Bishop: 21 Jun 1958 to 16 Jan 1961)
José Rincón Bonilla † (Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Dec 1950 to 1961)
Felipe Rincón González † (Priest: 19 Sep 1896 to 10 Aug 1916)
Domingo Roa Pérez † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1961; Archbishop: 30 Apr 1966 to 23 Dec 1992)

Source(s)

Diocese of Zulia
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 15, Page 533, to Page 535
Diocese of Maracaibo
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 45, Page 300, and Page 301
Archdiocese of Maracaibo
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 58, Page 788, and Page 789
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 87, Page 529, and Page 530

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Archdiocese of Maracaibo

Archidioecesis Maracaibensis