Archdiocese of Cuenca

Archidioecesis Conchensis in Aequatore

Bishop(s)

Marcos Aurelio Pérez Caicedo, Archbishop
Fernando Ortega Ortega, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 9 April 1957
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Ecuador
Square Kilometers: 8,010 (3,093 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.iglesiadecuenca.ec/
Mailing Address: Bolivar 7-64 y Luis Cordero, Cuenca, Ecuador
Telephone: (07)2847.234; 2831.651
Fax: 2844.436

Historical Details

Diocese of Cuenca
- Latin Name: Conchensis in Aequatore
- Erected: 1 July 1786
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Quito
- Country: Ecuador

Past and Present Ordinaries

José Carrión y Marfil † (18 Dec 1786 Appointed - 3 Jul 1798 Appointed, Bishop of Trujillo)
José Cuero y Caicedo † (3 Jul 1798 Appointed - 23 Dec 1801 Appointed, Bishop of Quito)
Francisco Javier Fita y Carrión (y Lafita) † (28 Mar 1803 Appointed - 24 May 1804 Died)
Andrés Quintian Ponte de Andrade † (9 Sep 1805 Appointed - 24 Jun 1813 Died)
José Ignacio Cortázar y Labayen † (15 Mar 1815 Appointed - 16 Jul 1818 Died)
Félix Calixto Miranda y Suárez de Figueroa † (21 May 1827 Appointed - 1829 Died)
Pedro Antonio Torres † (27 Jan 1843 Appointed - 17 Jan 1846 Resigned)
José Manuel Plaza de la Tejera, O.F.M. Obs. † (3 Jul 1848 Appointed - 22 Sep 1853 Died)
Liberato Fernández García † (21 Dec 1857 Appointed - 1858 Resigned)
Remigio Estéves de Toral † (22 Jul 1861 Appointed - 2 May 1883 Died)
Miguel León y Garrido † (13 Nov 1884 Appointed - 31 Mar 1900 Died)
Manuel María Pólit y Laso † (12 Jan 1907 Appointed - 7 Jun 1918 Appointed, Archbishop of Quito)
Daniel Hermida Ortega † (10 Mar 1918 Appointed - 30 Sep 1956 Died)
Manuel de Jesús Serrano Abad † (16 Nov 1956 Appointed - 21 Apr 1971 Died)
Ernesto Alvarez Alvarez, S.D.B. † (21 Apr 1971 Succeeded - 21 Jul 1980 Resigned)
Luis Alberto Luna Tobar, O.C.D. † (7 Mar 1981 Appointed - 15 Feb 2000 Retired)
Vicente Rodrigo Cisneros Durán † (15 Feb 2000 Appointed - 20 Apr 2009 Retired)
Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, O.F.M. (20 Apr 2009 Appointed - 24 Sep 2015 Appointed, Archbishop of Guayaquil)
Marcos Aurelio Pérez Caicedo (20 Jun 2016 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Cuenca
1 July 1786	Erected	Diocese of Quito	Diocese of Cuenca (erected)
28 May 1803	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ayacucho o Huamanga (Guamanga) Diocese of Cuenca Archdiocese of Lima Diocese of Popayán Diocese of Quito Diocese of Trujillo	Diocese of Maynas (erected)
29 December 1862	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cuenca	Diocese of Bolivar (erected) Diocese of Loja (erected)
Archdiocese of Cuenca
9 April 1957	Elevated	Diocese of Cuenca	Archdiocese of Cuenca
29 December 1957	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Cuenca (Alausí and Chunchi (in Chimborazo))	Diocese of Riobamba
26 June 1968	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Cuenca (Cañar)	Diocese of Azogues (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 Cuenca

1950 498,000 500,000 99.6% 104 52 156 3,192 47 200 64 ap1951

Archdiocese of Cuenca

1966 370,000 381,602 97.0% 91 65 156 2,371 134 352 58 ap1967

1970 450,750 450,758 100.0% 70 51 121 3,725 72 293 48 ap1971

1976 364,952 365,704 99.8% 54 48 102 3,577 56 307 57 ap1977

1980 368,239 369,895 99.6% 52 50 102 3,610 59 219 58 ap1981

1990 600,000 645,000 93.0% 52 59 111 5,405 101 344 64 ap1991

1999 608,000 653,000 93.1% 64 41 105 5,790 100 366 71 ap2000

2000 619,000 665,000 93.1% 65 53 118 5,245 5 86 366 71 ap2001

2001 590,900 635,400 93.0% 73 52 125 4,727 8 94 324 70 ap2002

2002 627,000 660,000 95.0% 72 40 112 5,598 8 63 277 70 ap2003

2003 570,000 599,546 95.1% 75 39 114 5,000 6 63 271 74 ap2004

2004 595,388 626,250 95.1% 78 42 120 4,961 6 59 319 75 ap2005

2006 604,000 635,000 95.1% 79 39 118 5,118 6 53 245 78 ap2007

2013 670,000 705,000 95.0% 75 29 104 6,442 11 63 269 81 ap2014

2016 587,250 753,500 77.9% 77 6 83 7,075 11 33 250 81 ap2017

2019 606,800 778,600 77.9% 75 45 120 5,056 10 54 159 82 ap2020

2021 727,484 909,356 80.0% 71 46 117 6,217 9 60 174 83 ap2022

2023 756,110 945,138 80.0% 70 41 111 6,811 9 52 188 83 ap2024

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 Cuenca
1950	498,000	500,000	99.6%	104	52	156	3,192		47	200	64	ap1951
Archdiocese of Cuenca
1966	370,000	381,602	97.0%	91	65	156	2,371		134	352	58	ap1967
1970	450,750	450,758	100.0%	70	51	121	3,725		72	293	48	ap1971
1976	364,952	365,704	99.8%	54	48	102	3,577		56	307	57	ap1977
1980	368,239	369,895	99.6%	52	50	102	3,610		59	219	58	ap1981
1990	600,000	645,000	93.0%	52	59	111	5,405		101	344	64	ap1991
1999	608,000	653,000	93.1%	64	41	105	5,790		100	366	71	ap2000
2000	619,000	665,000	93.1%	65	53	118	5,245	5	86	366	71	ap2001
2001	590,900	635,400	93.0%	73	52	125	4,727	8	94	324	70	ap2002
2002	627,000	660,000	95.0%	72	40	112	5,598	8	63	277	70	ap2003
2003	570,000	599,546	95.1%	75	39	114	5,000	6	63	271	74	ap2004
2004	595,388	626,250	95.1%	78	42	120	4,961	6	59	319	75	ap2005
2006	604,000	635,000	95.1%	79	39	118	5,118	6	53	245	78	ap2007
2013	670,000	705,000	95.0%	75	29	104	6,442	11	63	269	81	ap2014
2016	587,250	753,500	77.9%	77	6	83	7,075	11	33	250	81	ap2017
2019	606,800	778,600	77.9%	75	45	120	5,056	10	54	159	82	ap2020
2021	727,484	909,356	80.0%	71	46	117	6,217	9	60	174	83	ap2022
2023	756,110	945,138	80.0%	70	41	111	6,811	9	52	188	83	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, O.F.M. (Archbishop: 20 Apr 2009 to 24 Sep 2015)
Walter Jehová Heras Segarra, O.F.M.
Gerardo Miguel Nieves Loja
Fernando Ortega Ortega (Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Jun 2023)
Marcos Aurelio Pérez Caicedo (Archbishop: 20 Jun 2016)
José Bolivar Piedra Aguirre (Priest: 24 Mar 1990; Auxiliary Bishop: 20 May 2019 to 21 Sep 2022)
Gustavo Adolfo Rosales Escobar (Priest: 26 Oct 1991 to 3 Jun 2022)
Oswaldo Patricio Vintimilla Cabrera (Priest: 17 Nov 1990 to 25 Jun 2016)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Ernesto Alvarez Alvarez, S.D.B. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 1 May 1970; Archbishop: 21 Apr 1971 to 21 Jul 1980)
José Carrión y Marfil † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1786 to 3 Jul 1798)
José Ignacio Checa y Barba † (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Jul 1861 to 6 Aug 1866)
Vicente Rodrigo Cisneros Durán † (Archbishop: 15 Feb 2000 to 20 Apr 2009)
José Ignacio Cortázar y Labayen † (Bishop: 15 Mar 1815 to 16 Jul 1818)
José Cuero y Caicedo † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1798 to 23 Dec 1801)
José Gabriel Diaz Cueva † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1967 to 26 Jun 1968)
Remigio Estéves de Toral † (Bishop: 22 Jul 1861 to 2 May 1883)
Liberato Fernández García † (Bishop: 21 Dec 1857 to 1858)
Francisco Javier Fita y Carrión (y Lafita) † (Bishop: 28 Mar 1803 to 24 May 1804)
Francisco Xavier de Garaycoa Llaguno † (Priest: 15 Mar 1799 to 15 Feb 1838)
Guillermo José Harris y Morales † (Priest: 19 Jul 1896 to 7 May 1920)
Daniel Hermida Ortega † (Priest: 4 Jun 1895; Bishop: 10 Mar 1918 to 30 Sep 1956)
Agostino Maria León, O.P. †
Miguel León y Garrido † (Bishop: 13 Nov 1884 to 31 Mar 1900)
Luis Alberto Luna Tobar, O.C.D. † (Archbishop: 7 Mar 1981 to 15 Feb 2000)
Félix Calixto Miranda y Suárez de Figueroa † (Bishop: 21 May 1827 to 1829)
José Ignacio Ordóñez †
Alberto Maria Ordóñez Crespo † (Priest: 19 Dec 1896 to 4 Dec 1916)
José Manuel Plaza de la Tejera, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1848 to 22 Sep 1853)
Manuel María Pólit y Laso † (Bishop: 12 Jan 1907 to 7 Jun 1918)
Andrés Quintian Ponte de Andrade † (Bishop: 9 Sep 1805 to 24 Jun 1813)
Manuel de Jesús Serrano Abad † (Priest: 22 Dec 1922; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Aug 1954; Bishop: 16 Nov 1956; Archbishop: 9 Apr 1957 to 21 Apr 1971)
Pedro Antonio Torres † (Bishop: 27 Jan 1843 to 17 Jan 1846)

Source(s)

Diocese of Cuenca
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 147
Archdiocese of Cuenca
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 49, Page 818, to Page 820

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