Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz

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Bishop(s) Santiago García Aracil, Archbishop Antonio Montero Moreno, Archbishop Emeritus Suffragan Dioceses Coria-Cáceres Plasencia

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 28 July 1994 Metropolitan See Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Spain Square Kilometers: 17,405 (6,722 Square Miles) Official Web Site: http://www.archimeridabadajoz.org/ Mailing Address: Apartado 8, Obispo San Juan de Ribera 13, 06002 Badajoz, Espana Telephone: 924.22.28.47/8 Fax: 924.26.05.93

Historical Details

• Diocese of Badajoz
  • Latin Name: Pacensis
  • Erected: 1255
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Sevilla {Seville}
  • Country: Spain

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Alfonso Manrique de Lara † ( 1499 Appointed - 1516 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
• Pedro Ruiz de la Mota, O.S.B. † (22 Aug 1516 Appointed - 4 Jul 1520 Appointed, Bishop of Palencia)
• Bernardo de Mesa, O.P. † (20 Feb 1521 Appointed - 1524 Died)
• Pedro Gómez Sarmiento de Villandrando † (26 Oct 1524 Appointed - 3 Jul 1525 Appointed, Bishop of Palencia)
• Pedro González Manso † (3 Jul 1525 Appointed - 13 Mar 1532 Appointed, Bishop of Osma)
• Jerónimo Suárez Maldonado † (20 Mar 1532 Appointed - 18 Sep 1545 Died)
• Francisco de Navarra y Hualde † (14 Dec 1545 Appointed - 4 May 1556 Appointed, Archbishop of Valencia)
• Cristóbal Rojas Sandoval † (4 May 1556 Appointed - 27 May 1562 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
• St. Juan de Ribera † (27 May 1562 Appointed - 3 Dec 1568 Appointed, Archbishop of Valencia)
• Diego de Simancas † (3 Dec 1568 Appointed - 13 Jun 1578 Appointed, Bishop of Zamora)
• Diego Gómez de Lamadrid, O.SS.T. † (13 Jun 1578 Appointed - 15 Aug 1601 Died)
• Andrés Fernández de Córdoba y Carvajal † (7 Oct 1602 Appointed - 1611 Died)
• Juan Beltrán Guevara y Figueroa † (28 Nov 1611 Appointed - 12 Jan 1615 Appointed, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela)
• Cristóbal Lobera Torres † (6 Nov 1615 Appointed - 9 Jul 1618 Appointed, Bishop of Osma)
• Pedro Fernández Zorrilla † (23 Jul 1618 Appointed - 14 Jun 1627 Appointed, Bishop of Pamplona)
• Juan Roco Campofrío, O.S.B. † (5 Jul 1627 Appointed - 8 Mar 1632 Appointed, Bishop of Coria)
• Gabriel Ortiz Sotomayor † (3 Dec 1635 Appointed - 17 Apr 1640 Died)
• José Valle de la Cerda, O.S.B. † (17 Dec 1640 Appointed - 22 Oct 1644 Died)
• Angel Manrique, O. Cist. † (12 Jun 1645 Appointed - 28 Feb 1649 Died)
• Francisco Valero Losa † (7 Nov 1707 Appointed - 18 Mar 1715 Appointed, Archbishop of Toledo)
• Pedro Francisco Levanto Vivaldo † (8 Jul 1715 Appointed - 2 Feb 1729 Died)
• Amador Merino Malaguilla † (8 Feb 1730 Appointed - 29 Jan 1755 Died)
• Manuel Pérez Minayo † (21 Jul 1755 Appointed - 28 Nov 1779 Died)
• Santiago Palmero † (11 Dec 1780 Appointed - 1781 Died)
• Alfonso Solís Grajera, O.S. † (17 Feb 1783 Appointed - 8 Feb 1797 Died)
• Gabriel Alvarez Faria † (18 Dec 1797 Appointed - 11 Apr 1802 Died)
• Mateo Delgado Moreno † (9 Aug 1802 Appointed - 16 Feb 1841 Died)
• Francisco Javier Rodríguez Obregón † (7 Dec 1847 Appointed - 4 Jan 1853 Died)
• Manuel Garcia Gil, O.P. † (22 Dec 1853 Appointed - 23 Dec 1858 Appointed, Archbishop of Zaragoza)
• Diego Mariano Alguacil Rodríguez † (23 Dec 1858 Appointed - 23 Dec 1861 Appointed, Bishop of Vitoria)
• Pantaleón Montserrat Navarro † (7 Apr 1862 Appointed - 1 Oct 1863 Appointed, Bishop of Barcelona)
• Joaquín Hernández Herrero † (21 Dec 1863 Appointed - 25 Sep 1865 Appointed, Bishop of Segorbe)
• Fernando Ramírez Vázquez † (25 Sep 1865 Appointed - 14 Nov 1890 Died)
• Francisco Sáenz de Urturi y Crespo, O.F.M. † (1 Jun 1891 Appointed - 21 May 1894 Appointed, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba)
• Ramón Torrijos y Gómez † (21 May 1894 Appointed - 16 Jan 1903 Died)
• José Hevía y Campomanes, O.P. † (25 Jun 1903 Appointed - 2 May 1904 Died)
• Félix Soto y Mancera † (14 Nov 1904 Appointed - 31 Jan 1910 Died)
• Adolfo Pérez y Muñoz † (18 Jul 1913 Appointed - 11 Jul 1920 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
• Ramón Pérez y Rodríguez † (21 Aug 1920 Appointed - 7 Jan 1929 Appointed, Bishop of Spain, Military)
• José Maria Alcaráz y Alenda † (13 Mar 1930 Appointed - 22 Jul 1971 Died)
• Doroteo Fernández y Fernández † (22 Jul 1971 Succeeded - 15 Jan 1979 Resigned)
• Antonio Montero Moreno (3 May 1980 Appointed - 9 Jul 2004 Retired)
• Santiago García Aracil (9 Jul 2004 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Badajoz
1255	Erected		Diocese of Badajoz (erected)
Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz
28 July 1994	Elevated	Diocese of Badajoz	Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz

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Statistics

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 Badajoz
1950	687,000	687,000	100.0%	245	75	320	2,146		211	649	151	ap1951
1959	765,397	765,397	100.0%	305	80	385	1,988		225	710	182	ap1960
1970	650,000	650,187	100.0%	351	85	436	1,490		158	1,013	216	ap1971
1980	594,697	597,495	99.5%	305	65	370	1,607		95	879	216	ap1981
1990	600,239	600,544	99.9%	294	68	362	1,658		94	920	210	ap1991
Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz
1999	623,953	626,875	99.5%	283	67	350	1,782		93	907	215	ap2000
2000	584,201	587,123	99.5%	277	67	344	1,698		93	907	216	ap2001
2001	583,411	586,343	99.5%	273	67	340	1,715		93	913	216	ap2002
2002	583,751	586,728	99.5%	276	51	327	1,785		64	906	217	ap2003
2003	575,661	578,638	99.5%	271	56	327	1,760		79	858	218	ap2004
2004	581,414	585,290	99.3%	271	56	327	1,778		79	814	218	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Santiago García Aracil (Archbishop: 9 Jul 2004)
• Antonio Montero Moreno (Bishop: 3 May 1980; Archbishop: 28 Jul 1994 to 9 Jul 2004)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• José Maria Alcaráz y Alenda † (Bishop: 13 Mar 1930 to 22 Jul 1971)
• Diego Mariano Alguacil Rodríguez † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1858 to 23 Dec 1861)
• Gabriel Alvarez Faria † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1797 to 11 Apr 1802)
• Eugenio Beitia Aldazabal † (Coadjutor Bishop: 30 Oct 1954 to 27 Jan 1962)
• Juan Beltrán Guevara y Figueroa † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 28 Nov 1611 to 12 Jan 1615)
• Mateo Delgado Moreno † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 9 Aug 1802 to 16 Feb 1841)
• Enrique Delgado y Gómez † (Priest: 14 Jul 1912 to 10 Jun 1943)
• Andrés Fernández de Córdoba y Carvajal † (Bishop: 7 Oct 1602 to 1611)
• Doroteo Fernández y Fernández † (Coadjutor Bishop: 19 Feb 1962; Bishop: 22 Jul 1971 to 15 Jan 1979)
• Pedro Fernández Zorrilla † (Bishop: 23 Jul 1618 to 14 Jun 1627)
• Manuel Garcia Gil, O.P. † (Bishop: 22 Dec 1853 to 23 Dec 1858)
• Diego Gómez de Lamadrid, O.SS.T. † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 13 Jun 1578 to 15 Aug 1601)
• Pedro Gómez Sarmiento de Villandrando † (Bishop: 26 Oct 1524 to 3 Jul 1525)
• Pedro González Manso † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1525 to 13 Mar 1532)
• Joaquín Hernández Herrero † (Bishop: 21 Dec 1863 to 25 Sep 1865)
• José Hevía y Campomanes, O.P. † (Bishop: 25 Jun 1903 to 2 May 1904)
• Pedro Francisco Levanto Vivaldo † (Bishop: 8 Jul 1715 to 2 Feb 1729)
• Cristóbal Lobera Torres † (Bishop: 6 Nov 1615 to 9 Jul 1618)
• Angel Manrique, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1645 to 28 Feb 1649)
• Alfonso Manrique de Lara † (Bishop: 1499 to 1516)
• Amador Merino Malaguilla † (Bishop: 8 Feb 1730 to 29 Jan 1755)
• Bernardo de Mesa, O.P. † (Bishop: 20 Feb 1521 to 1524)
• Pantaleón Montserrat Navarro † (Bishop: 7 Apr 1862 to 1 Oct 1863)
• Francisco de Navarra y Hualde † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1545 to 4 May 1556)
• Gabriel Ortiz Sotomayor † (Bishop: 3 Dec 1635 to 17 Apr 1640)
• Santiago Palmero † (Bishop: 11 Dec 1780 to 1781)
• Manuel Pérez Minayo † (Bishop: 21 Jul 1755 to 28 Nov 1779)
• Adolfo Pérez y Muñoz † (Bishop: 18 Jul 1913 to 11 Jul 1920)
• Ramón Pérez y Rodríguez † (Bishop: 21 Aug 1920 to 7 Jan 1929)
• Fernando Ramírez Vázquez † (Bishop: 25 Sep 1865 to 14 Nov 1890)
• St. Juan de Ribera † (Bishop: 27 May 1562 to 3 Dec 1568)
• Juan Roco Campofrío, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 5 Jul 1627 to 8 Mar 1632)
• Francisco Javier Rodríguez Obregón † (Bishop: 7 Dec 1847 to 4 Jan 1853)
• Cristóbal Rojas Sandoval † (Bishop: 4 May 1556 to 27 May 1562)
• Pedro Ruiz de la Mota, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 22 Aug 1516 to 4 Jul 1520)
• Francisco Sáenz de Urturi y Crespo, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 1 Jun 1891 to 21 May 1894)
• Diego de Simancas † (Bishop: 3 Dec 1568 to 13 Jun 1578)
• Alfonso Solís Grajera, O.S. † (Bishop: 17 Feb 1783 to 8 Feb 1797)
• Félix Soto y Mancera † (Bishop: 14 Nov 1904 to 31 Jan 1910)
• Jerónimo Suárez Maldonado † (Bishop: 20 Mar 1532 to 18 Sep 1545)
• Ramón Torrijos y Gómez † (Bishop: 21 May 1894 to 16 Jan 1903)
• Francisco Valero Losa † (Bishop: 7 Nov 1707 to 18 Mar 1715)
• José Valle de la Cerda, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 17 Dec 1640 to 22 Oct 1644)
• Fernando de Vera y Zuñiga, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 17 Feb 1614 to 13 Nov 1628)