Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica

Archidioecesis Sancti Iosephi in Costarica

Bishop(s)

José Rafael Quirós Quirós, Archbishop
Daniel Francisco Blanco Méndez, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 16 February 1921
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Costa Rica
Square Kilometers: 2,686 (1,037 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://www.arquisanjose.com
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Avenida Cuarta entre Calle Central y calle Primera, Apartado 497, 1000 San José, Costa Rica
Telephone: 2258-1015
Fax: 2221-2427

Historical Details

Diocese of San José de Costa Rica
- Latin Name: Sancti Iosephi in Costarica
- Erected: 28 February 1850
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Guatemala
- Country: Costa Rica

Past and Present Ordinaries

Joachim Anselmo Llorente y La Fuente † (10 Apr 1851 Appointed - 23 Sep 1871 Died)
Bernardo Agusto Thiel Hoffman, C.M. † (27 Feb 1880 Appointed - 9 Sep 1901 Died)
Juan Gaspar Stork, C.M. † (1 Jun 1904 Appointed - 12 Dec 1920 Died)
Rafael Otón Castro y Jiménez † (10 Mar 1921 Appointed - 14 Dec 1939 Died)
Víctor Manuel Sanabria y Martínez † (7 Mar 1940 Appointed - 8 Jun 1952 Died)
Rubén Odio Herrera † (31 Oct 1952 Appointed - 21 Aug 1959 Died)
Carlos Humberto Rodríguez Quirós † (5 May 1960 Appointed - 24 Mar 1979 Resigned)
Román Arrieta Villalobos † (2 Jul 1979 Appointed - 13 Jul 2002 Retired)
Hugo Barrantes Ureña † (13 Jul 2002 Appointed - 4 Jul 2013 Retired)
José Rafael Quirós Quirós (4 Jul 2013 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of San José de Costa Rica
28 February 1850	Erected	Diocese of Nicaragua	Diocese of San José de Costa Rica (erected) (Costa Rica)
16 February 1921	Territory Lost	Diocese of San José de Costa Rica (Alajuela, Puntarenas, and Guanacaste.)	Diocese of Alajuela (erected)
16 February 1921	Territory Lost	Diocese of San José de Costa Rica (Limón and the Carthaginian Canton of Turrialba)	Vicariate Apostolic of Limón (erected)
Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
16 February 1921	Elevated	Diocese of San José de Costa Rica (San José, Heredia, and Cartago)	Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
1 April 1927	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica (Turrialba and part of Heredia)	Vicariate Apostolic of Limón
19 August 1954	Territory Lost	Diocese of Alajuela (Aguirre, Osa, Buenos Aires, and Golfito) Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica (Tarrazu, Dota, and Perez Zeledón)	Diocese of San Isidro de El General (erected)
15 December 1986	Territory Added	Diocese of Alajuela (San Pablo de Turrubares)	Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
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 Added	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

Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica

1949 449,000 450,048 99.8% 71 41 112 4,008 41 280 47 ap1951

1966 579,856 597,856 97.0% 109 109 218 2,659 135 660 60 ap1967

1970 742,746 757,904 98.0% 130 111 241 3,081 141 725 65 ap1971

1976 885,066 903,129 98.0% 144 92 236 3,750 144 631 72 ap1977

1980 800,000 940,000 85.1% 151 110 261 3,065 125 602 83 ap1981

1990 1,350,000 1,500,000 90.0% 215 133 348 3,879 260 630 107 ap1991

1999 2,334,636 2,683,490 87.0% 252 116 368 6,344 241 584 120 ap2000

2000 2,345,036 2,726,786 86.0% 270 102 372 6,303 206 535 124 ap2001

2001 2,347,623 2,761,910 85.0% 289 87 376 6,243 195 526 127 ap2002

2002 2,375,019 2,794,140 85.0% 272 91 363 6,542 187 522 131 ap2003

2003 1,812,945 2,132,877 85.0% 273 91 364 4,980 159 522 134 ap2004

2004 1,621,800 1,930,714 84.0% 260 135 395 4,105 1 248 616 134 ap2005

2010 1,168,000 1,566,000 74.6% 241 98 339 3,445 2 241 483 107 ap2011

2014 1,414,000 2,015,000 70.2% 244 98 342 4,134 252 476 107 ap2015

2017 1,468,800 2,066,500 71.1% 251 112 363 4,046 19 316 615 107 ap2018

2020 1,519,860 2,138,345 71.1% 260 112 372 4,085 21 278 383 107 ap2021

2022 1,552,000 2,184,000 71.1% 288 107 395 3,929 21 244 395 107 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
1949	449,000	450,048	99.8%	71	41	112	4,008		41	280	47	ap1951
1966	579,856	597,856	97.0%	109	109	218	2,659		135	660	60	ap1967
1970	742,746	757,904	98.0%	130	111	241	3,081		141	725	65	ap1971
1976	885,066	903,129	98.0%	144	92	236	3,750		144	631	72	ap1977
1980	800,000	940,000	85.1%	151	110	261	3,065		125	602	83	ap1981
1990	1,350,000	1,500,000	90.0%	215	133	348	3,879		260	630	107	ap1991
1999	2,334,636	2,683,490	87.0%	252	116	368	6,344		241	584	120	ap2000
2000	2,345,036	2,726,786	86.0%	270	102	372	6,303		206	535	124	ap2001
2001	2,347,623	2,761,910	85.0%	289	87	376	6,243		195	526	127	ap2002
2002	2,375,019	2,794,140	85.0%	272	91	363	6,542		187	522	131	ap2003
2003	1,812,945	2,132,877	85.0%	273	91	364	4,980		159	522	134	ap2004
2004	1,621,800	1,930,714	84.0%	260	135	395	4,105	1	248	616	134	ap2005
2010	1,168,000	1,566,000	74.6%	241	98	339	3,445	2	241	483	107	ap2011
2014	1,414,000	2,015,000	70.2%	244	98	342	4,134		252	476	107	ap2015
2017	1,468,800	2,066,500	71.1%	251	112	363	4,046	19	316	615	107	ap2018
2020	1,519,860	2,138,345	71.1%	260	112	372	4,085	21	278	383	107	ap2021
2022	1,552,000	2,184,000	71.1%	288	107	395	3,929	21	244	395	107	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Daniel Francisco Blanco Méndez (Priest: 8 Dec 2000; Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Nov 2017)
Oscar Gerardo Fernández Guillén (Priest: 8 Jul 1977 to 4 Jun 2003)
José Manuel Garita Herrera (Deacon: 9 Apr 1988; Priest: 26 Nov 1988 to 15 Mar 2014)
Guillermo Loría Garita (Priest: 21 Dec 1963 to 31 Jul 2003)
José Rafael Quirós Quirós (Priest: 5 Mar 1981 to 2 Dec 2005; Archbishop: 4 Jul 2013 - )
Mario Enrique Quirós Quirós (Priest: 8 Dec 1994 to 24 May 2005)
Javier Gerardo Román Arias (Priest: 8 Dec 1987 to 21 Mar 2015)
Alexander Salazar
Manuel Eugenio Salazar Mora (Priest: 4 Dec 1982 to 6 Feb 2016)
Ignacio Nazareno Trejos Picado (Priest: 8 Mar 1952; Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Jan 1968 to 19 Dec 1974)
José Francisco Ulloa Rojas (Priest: 19 Dec 1964 to 30 Dec 1994)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Román Arrieta Villalobos † (Priest: 18 Dec 1948 to 12 Aug 1961; Archbishop: 2 Jul 1979 to 13 Jul 2002)
Hugo Barrantes Ureña † (Archbishop: 13 Jul 2002 to 4 Jul 2013)
Enrique Bolaños Quesada † (Apostolic Administrator: 20 Mar 1978 to 2 Jul 1979)
Rafael Otón Castro y Jiménez † (Priest: 28 Oct 1899; Archbishop: 10 Mar 1921 to 14 Dec 1939)
Alfonso Coto Monge † (Priest: 9 Nov 1941 to 7 Mar 1980)
Joachim Anselmo Llorente y La Fuente † (Bishop: 10 Apr 1851 to 23 Sep 1871)
Antonio del Carmen Monestel y Zamora † (Priest: 19 Dec 1891 to 23 Feb 1915)
Rubén Odio Herrera † (Priest: 29 Jun 1924; Archbishop: 31 Oct 1952 to 21 Aug 1959)
Carlos Humberto Rodríguez Quirós † (Priest: 25 Oct 1936 to 1942; Archbishop: 5 May 1960 to 24 Mar 1979)
Víctor Manuel Sanabria y Martínez † (Priest: 9 Oct 1921 to 12 Mar 1938; Archbishop: 7 Mar 1940 to 8 Jun 1952)
Vicente Juan Solís Fernández † (Priest: 22 Aug 1915 to 3 Jul 1940)
Juan Gaspar Stork, C.M. † (Bishop: 1 Jun 1904 to 12 Dec 1920)
Bernardo Agusto Thiel Hoffman, C.M. † (Bishop: 27 Feb 1880 to 9 Sep 1901)
Antonio Troyo Calderón † (Priest: 30 Nov 1947; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Aug 1979 to 13 Jul 2002)
Claudio María Volio y Jiménez † (Priest: 17 Dec 1898 to 2 Feb 1916)

Source(s)

Diocese of San José de Costa Rica
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 153
Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 13, Page 252, to Page 255
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 79, Page 346, and Page 347
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 98, Page 603

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