Barrancabermeja (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Ovidio Giraldo Velásquez, Bishop
Camilo Fernando Castrellón Pizano, S.D.B., Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 27 October 1962
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bucaramanga
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Colombia
Square Kilometers: 15,000 (5,793 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://www.diocbarranca.org.co
Mailing Address: Residencia Episcopal, Carrera 16 N. 48-19, Barrancabermeja, Santander, Colombia
Telephone: (7)622.34.99
Fax: 622.48.58

Historical Details

Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena
- Latin Name: Fluminis Magdalenae
- Erected: 2 April 1928
- Country: Colombia
Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja
- Latin Name: Barrancabermeiensis
- Elevated: 18 April 1950
- Vicariate
- Country: Colombia

Past and Present Ordinaries

Carlo Ilario Currea, S.J. † (8 Jan 1929 Appointed - 1932 Died)
Rafael Toro Upegui, S.J. † (20 Feb 1932 Appointed - 28 Nov 1947 Resigned)
Bernardo Arango Henao, S.J. † (28 Nov 1947 Appointed - 23 Dec 1983 Retired)
Juan Francisco Sarasti Jaramillo, C.I.M. † (23 Dec 1983 Appointed - 25 Mar 1993 Appointed, Archbishop of Ibagué)
Jaime Prieto Amaya † (11 Nov 1993 Appointed - 1 Dec 2008 Appointed, Bishop of Cúcuta)
Camilo Fernando Castrellón Pizano, S.D.B. (2 Dec 2009 Appointed - 29 May 2020 Retired)
Ovidio Giraldo Velásquez (29 May 2020 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena
2 April 1928	Erected	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona Diocese of Santa Marta Diocese of Socorro y San Gil	Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja
18 April 1950	Elevated	Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena	Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja
26 October 1962	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja (Tamalameque, La Gloria, and Gamarra and portions of Aguachica and Rio de Oro) Diocese of Santa Marta (Ocaña, La Playa, Ábrego, Bucarasica, Villa Caro, and González and portions of EI Carmen, Convención, Teorama, San Calixto, Hacarí, Rio de Oro, Aguachica, and Sardinata)	Diocese of Ocaña (erected)
Diocese of Barrancabermeja
27 October 1962	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja	Diocese of Barrancabermeja
28 October 1971	Territory Lost	Diocese of Barrancabermeja (Aquitania (in Antioquia))	Diocese of Sonsón-Rionegro
14 December 1974	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Barrancabermeja (from Nueva Pamplona)
29 March 1984	Territory Lost	Diocese of Barrancabermeja Diocese of Facatativá (Chaguaní, Guaduas, La Palma, Caparrapí, Yacopí, and Puerto Salgar) Archdiocese of Manizales	Diocese of La Dorada-Guaduas (erected) (Puerto Boyacá, Puerto Triunfo, La Dorada, Samaná, Victoria, Marquetalia, Pennsylvania, and Manzanares along with Corregimiento de Montebonito and Inspection de Policía de San Miguel)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja

1950 68,000 68,000 100.0% 12 12 5,666 21 42 6 ap1951

Diocese of Barrancabermeja

1966 291,000 294,000 99.0% 31 16 47 6,191 26 130 24 ap1967

1970 317,000 321,000 98.8% 34 12 46 6,891 16 148 27 ap1971

1976 360,000 371,000 97.0% 35 11 46 7,826 13 125 28 ap1977

1980 396,000 409,000 96.8% 33 10 43 9,209 12 108 28 ap1981

1990 385,000 444,000 86.7% 31 11 42 9,166 12 119 27 ap1991

1999 410,000 525,000 78.1% 41 14 55 7,454 16 95 28 ap2000

2000 380,000 520,000 73.1% 44 13 57 6,666 1 13 91 28 ap2001

2001 390,000 530,000 73.6% 48 14 62 6,290 1 14 86 30 ap2002

2002 380,000 530,000 71.7% 43 14 57 6,666 1 14 85 30 ap2003

2003 350,000 530,000 66.0% 47 10 57 6,140 10 82 33 ap2004

2004 320,000 540,000 59.3% 50 10 60 5,333 10 80 33 ap2005

2006 386,000 539,000 71.6% 53 12 65 5,938 1 15 47 34 ap2007

2012 420,000 584,000 71.9% 56 10 66 6,363 1 10 39 34 ap2013

2015 435,000 605,000 71.9% 56 14 70 6,214 1 15 28 34 ap2016

2018 449,875 625,690 71.9% 70 12 82 5,486 12 26 29 ap2019

2020 465,500 647,400 71.9% 67 11 78 5,967 11 14 34 ap2021

2022 481,000 669,000 71.9% 67 4 71 6,774 4 8 34 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja
1950	68,000	68,000	100.0%		12	12	5,666		21	42	6	ap1951
Diocese of Barrancabermeja
1966	291,000	294,000	99.0%	31	16	47	6,191		26	130	24	ap1967
1970	317,000	321,000	98.8%	34	12	46	6,891		16	148	27	ap1971
1976	360,000	371,000	97.0%	35	11	46	7,826		13	125	28	ap1977
1980	396,000	409,000	96.8%	33	10	43	9,209		12	108	28	ap1981
1990	385,000	444,000	86.7%	31	11	42	9,166		12	119	27	ap1991
1999	410,000	525,000	78.1%	41	14	55	7,454		16	95	28	ap2000
2000	380,000	520,000	73.1%	44	13	57	6,666	1	13	91	28	ap2001
2001	390,000	530,000	73.6%	48	14	62	6,290	1	14	86	30	ap2002
2002	380,000	530,000	71.7%	43	14	57	6,666	1	14	85	30	ap2003
2003	350,000	530,000	66.0%	47	10	57	6,140		10	82	33	ap2004
2004	320,000	540,000	59.3%	50	10	60	5,333		10	80	33	ap2005
2006	386,000	539,000	71.6%	53	12	65	5,938	1	15	47	34	ap2007
2012	420,000	584,000	71.9%	56	10	66	6,363	1	10	39	34	ap2013
2015	435,000	605,000	71.9%	56	14	70	6,214	1	15	28	34	ap2016
2018	449,875	625,690	71.9%	70	12	82	5,486		12	26	29	ap2019
2020	465,500	647,400	71.9%	67	11	78	5,967		11	14	34	ap2021
2022	481,000	669,000	71.9%	67	4	71	6,774		4	8	34	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Bernardo Arango Henao, S.J. † (Prefect: 28 Nov 1947; Vicar Apostolic: 18 Apr 1950; Bishop: 27 Oct 1962 to 23 Dec 1983)
Carlo Ilario Currea, S.J. † (Prefect: 8 Jan 1929 to 1932)
Jaime Prieto Amaya † (Bishop: 11 Nov 1993 to 1 Dec 2008)
Juan Francisco Sarasti Jaramillo, C.I.M. † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1983 to 25 Mar 1993)
Rafael Toro Upegui, S.J. † (Prefect: 20 Feb 1932 to 28 Nov 1947)

Source(s)

Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 21, Page 141, to Page 143
Vicariate Apostolic of Barrancabermeja
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 42, Page 586, and Page 587
Diocese of Barrancabermeja
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 55, Page 928, to Page 931
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 67, Page 165, and Page 166

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Diocese of Barrancabermeja

Dioecesis Barrancabermeiensis