Mérida-Badajoz (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

José Rodríguez Carballo, O.F.M., Archbishop
Celso Morga Iruzubieta, Archbishop Emeritus

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.meridabadajoz.net/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, c/Obispo San Juan de Ribera 2, 06002 Badajoz, Espana
Telephone: 924.22.28.47
Fax: 924.24.69.92

Historical Details

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

Past and Present Ordinaries

Pedro Pérez, O.F.M. † (22 Mar 1255 Appointed - 1266 Died)
Bernardo † (13 Jun 1300 Appointed - )
Simón , O. de M. † (15 Jul 1309 Appointed - 20 Jul 1324 Appointed, Bishop of Tuy)
Bernabé † (27 Jul 1324 Appointed - 20 Oct 1329 Appointed, Bishop of Osma)
Juan de Morales † (23 Oct 1329 Appointed - 19 Jan 1335 Appointed, Bishop of Jaén)
Fernando Martínez de Ágreda † (19 Jan 1335 Appointed - 1344 Died)
Vincenzo Estevanez † ( 1344 Appointed - )
Juan † (25 May 1349 Appointed - 1353 Died)
Alfonso Fernando Vargas de Toledo, O.E.S.A. † (13 Feb 1353 Appointed - 25 Oct 1354 Appointed, Bishop of Osma)
Juan García Palomeque † (24 Oct 1354 Appointed - 4 Mar 1373 Appointed, Bishop of Osma)
Fernando Sánchez † (4 Mar 1373 Appointed - 1378 Died)
Gonzalo de Alba, O.P. † (14 Mar 1407 Appointed - 26 Nov 1408 Appointed, Bishop of Salamanca)
Diego Badán, O.F.M. † (11 Sep 1409 Appointed - 18 Dec 1415 Appointed, Bishop of Cartagena (en España))
Juan Rodríguez Villalón † (18 Dec 1415 Appointed - 16 Mar 1418 Appointed, Bishop of León)
Juan de Morales, O.P. † (13 Apr 1418 Appointed - 1443 Died)
Lorenzo Suárez de Figueroa † (16 Mar 1444 Appointed - )
Pedro Silva y Tenorio, O.P. † (19 Oct 1461 Appointed - 20 Jan 1479 Died)
Giovanni d’Aragona † (20 Jan 1479 Appointed - 14 May 1479 Resigned)
Gomez de Figueroa † (14 May 1479 Appointed - 10 Nov 1485 Died)
Pedro Ximénez de Préxamo (Jimenez de Prexamo) † (18 Jan 1486 Appointed - 23 Jan 1489 Appointed, Bishop of Coria)
Bernardino López de Carvajal y Sande † (23 Jan 1489 Appointed - 27 Mar 1493 Appointed, Bishop of Cartagena (en España))
Juan Ruiz de Medina † (27 Mar 1493 Appointed - 20 Feb 1495 Appointed, Bishop of Cartagena (en España))
Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca † (20 Feb 1495 Appointed - 6 Sep 1499 Appointed, Bishop of Córdoba)
Alfonso Manrique de Lara y Solís † (6 Sep 1499 Appointed - 18 Aug 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 de Lobera y Torres † (16 Nov 1615 Appointed - 9 Jul 1618 Appointed, Bishop of Osma)
Pedro Fernández Zorrilla † (23 Jul 1618 Appointed - 14 Jun 1627 Confirmed, 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 Confirmed - 22 Oct 1644 Died)
Angel Manrique, O. Cist. † (12 Jun 1645 Confirmed - 28 Feb 1649 Died)
Diego López de la Vega † (23 Aug 1649 Confirmed - 28 Jan 1658 Appointed, Bishop of Coria)
Diego del Castillo y Arteaga † (25 Feb 1658 Confirmed - 21 Sep 1658 Died)
Gabriel de Esparza Pérez † (27 Jan 1659 Appointed - 13 Mar 1662 Appointed, Bishop of Salamanca)
Jerónimo Rodríguez de Valderas, O. de M. † (17 Apr 1662 Appointed - 9 Apr 1668 Appointed, Bishop of Jaén)
Francisco de Rois y Mendoza, O. Cist. † (14 May 1668 Appointed - 29 May 1673 Appointed, Archbishop of Granada)
Francisco Lara † (26 Jun 1673 Confirmed - 1 Mar 1675 Appointed, Archbishop of Zaragoza)
Agustín Antolínez, O.S.A. † (6 Dec 1675 Appointed - 17 Jul 1677 Died)
Juan Herrero Jaraba † (8 Nov 1677 Appointed - 17 Mar 1681 Appointed, Bishop of Plasencia)
Juan Marín y Rodezno † (28 Apr 1681 Appointed - 12 Jan 1706 Died)
Alfonso Rozado † (19 Jul 1706 Appointed - 21 Dec 1706 Died)
Francisco Valero y Losa † (7 Nov 1707 Appointed - 18 Mar 1715 Confirmed, Archbishop of Toledo)
Pedro Francisco Levanto Vivaldo † (8 Jul 1715 Confirmed - 2 Feb 1729 Died)
Amador Merino y Malaguillas † (8 Feb 1730 Appointed - 29 Jan 1755 Died)
Manuel Pérez Minayo y Zumeda † (21 Jul 1755 Appointed - 28 Nov 1779 Died)
Santiago Palmero Escada † (11 Dec 1780 Appointed - 10 Dec 1781 Died)
Alonso de Solís Marroquín y Gragera, O.S. † (17 Feb 1783 Appointed - 8 Feb 1797 Died)
Gabriel Álvarez de Faria y Sánchez Zarzosa † (18 Dec 1797 Appointed - 11 Apr 1802 Died)
Mateo Delgado y Moreno † (9 Aug 1802 Appointed - 16 Feb 1841 Died)
Francisco Javier Rodríguez y Obregón † (17 Dec 1847 Confirmed - 4 Jan 1853 Died)
Manuel Garcia Gil, O.P. † (22 Dec 1853 Confirmed - 23 Dec 1858 Appointed, Archbishop of Zaragoza)
Diego Mariano Alguacil y Rodríguez † (23 Dec 1858 Appointed - 23 Dec 1861 Confirmed, Bishop of Vitoria)
Pantaleón Montserrat y Navarro † (7 Apr 1862 Confirmed - 1 Oct 1863 Appointed, Bishop of Barcelona)
Joaquín Hernández y Herrero † (21 Dec 1863 Appointed - 25 Sep 1865 Confirmed, Bishop of Segorbe)
Fernando Ramírez y Vázquez † (25 Sep 1865 Confirmed - 14 Nov 1890 Died)
Francisco Sáenz de Urturi y Crespo, O.F.M. Obs. † (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 † (31 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 - 21 May 2015 Retired)
Celso Morga Iruzubieta (21 May 2015 Succeeded - 29 Jun 2024 Retired)
José Rodríguez Carballo, O.F.M. (29 Jun 2024 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Badajoz
1255	Erected		Diocese of Badajoz (erected)
30 April 1958	Territory Added	Diocese of Córdoba (Castuera in Badajoz)	Diocese of Badajoz
30 April 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Badajoz (Montânchez in Cáceres)	Diocese of Coria-Cáceres
30 April 1958	Territory Added	Diocese of Coria-Cáceres (San Vicente de Alcántara and Puebla de Obando in Badajoz)	Diocese of Badajoz
Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz
28 July 1994	Elevated	Diocese of Badajoz	Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz

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

2013 588,100 597,300 98.5% 271 40 311 1,890 47 590 217 ap2014

2016 543,843 604,292 90.0% 257 42 299 1,818 49 561 205 ap2017

2019 543,900 605,750 89.8% 238 42 280 1,942 47 564 202 ap2020

2021 579,495 603,640 96.0% 216 216 2,682 5 535 202 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	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
2013	588,100	597,300	98.5%	271	40	311	1,890	47	590	217	ap2014
2016	543,843	604,292	90.0%	257	42	299	1,818	49	561	205	ap2017
2019	543,900	605,750	89.8%	238	42	280	1,942	47	564	202	ap2020
2021	579,495	603,640	96.0%	216		216	2,682	5	535	202	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Gonzalo de Alba, O.P. † (Bishop: 14 Mar 1407 to 26 Nov 1408)
Bernardo de Albuquerque, O.P. †
José Maria Alcaráz y Alenda † (Bishop: 13 Mar 1930 to 22 Jul 1971)
Diego Mariano Alguacil y Rodríguez † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1858 to 23 Dec 1861)
Gabriel Álvarez de Faria y Sánchez Zarzosa † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1797 to 11 Apr 1802)
Agustín Antolínez, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 6 Dec 1675 to 17 Jul 1677)
Gonzalo Arias Gallego †
Diego Badán, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 11 Sep 1409 to 18 Dec 1415)
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)
Baltasar Borja †
Giovanni d’Aragona † (Administrator: 20 Jan 1479 to 14 May 1479)
Diego del Castillo y Arteaga † (Bishop: 25 Feb 1658 to 21 Sep 1658)
Enrique Delgado y Gómez † (Priest: 14 Jul 1912 to 10 Jun 1943)
Mateo Delgado y Moreno † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 9 Aug 1802 to 16 Feb 1841)
Juan de los Barrios, O.F.M. Obs. †
Gabriel de Esparza Pérez † (Bishop: 27 Jan 1659 to 13 Mar 1662)
Vincenzo Estevanez † (Bishop: 1344)
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)
Gomez de Figueroa † (Bishop: 14 May 1479 to 10 Nov 1485)
Sebastián Flóres Pabón †
Santiago García Aracil † (Archbishop: 9 Jul 2004 to 21 May 2015)
Manuel Garcia Gil, O.P. † (Bishop: 22 Dec 1853 to 23 Dec 1858)
Juan García Palomeque † (Bishop: 24 Oct 1354 to 4 Mar 1373)
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 y Herrero † (Bishop: 21 Dec 1863 to 25 Sep 1865)
Juan Herrero Jaraba † (Bishop: 8 Nov 1677 to 17 Mar 1681)
José Hevía y Campomanes, O.P. † (Bishop: 25 Jun 1903 to 2 May 1904)
Francisco Lara † (Bishop: 26 Jun 1673 to 1 Mar 1675)
Pedro Francisco Levanto Vivaldo † (Bishop: 8 Jul 1715 to 2 Feb 1729)
Cristóbal de Lobera y Torres † (Bishop: 16 Nov 1615 to 9 Jul 1618)
Bernardino López de Carvajal y Sande † (Bishop: 23 Jan 1489 to 27 Mar 1493)
Diego López de la Vega † (Bishop: 23 Aug 1649 to 28 Jan 1658)
Angel Manrique, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1645 to 28 Feb 1649)
Alfonso Manrique de Lara y Solís † (Bishop: 6 Sep 1499 to 18 Aug 1516)
Juan Marín y Rodezno † (Bishop: 28 Apr 1681 to 12 Jan 1706)
Fernando Martínez de Ágreda † (Bishop: 19 Jan 1335 to 1344)
Bartolomé Martinez Menacho y Mesa (Mechado) †
Juan Martínez Silíceo †
Pedro Martín Fernández, O.P. †
Juan Méndez de Salvatierra †
Juan Méndez de Villafranca, O.P. †
Amador Merino y Malaguillas † (Bishop: 8 Feb 1730 to 29 Jan 1755)
Bernardo de Mesa, O.P. † (Bishop: 20 Feb 1521 to 1524)
Antonio Montero Moreno † (Bishop: 3 May 1980; Archbishop: 28 Jul 1994 to 9 Jul 2004)
Pantaleón Montserrat y Navarro † (Bishop: 7 Apr 1862 to 1 Oct 1863)
Juan de Morales † (Bishop: 23 Oct 1329 to 19 Jan 1335)
Juan de Morales, O.P. † (Bishop: 13 Apr 1418 to 1443)
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 Escada † (Bishop: 11 Dec 1780 to 10 Dec 1781)
Pedro Pérez, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 22 Mar 1255 to 1266)
Manuel Pérez Minayo y Zumeda † (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: 31 Aug 1920 to 7 Jan 1929)
Fernando Ramírez y 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)
Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca † (Bishop: 20 Feb 1495 to 6 Sep 1499)
Jerónimo Rodríguez de Valderas, O. de M. † (Bishop: 17 Apr 1662 to 9 Apr 1668)
Juan Rodríguez Villalón † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1415 to 16 Mar 1418)
Francisco Javier Rodríguez y Obregón † (Bishop: 17 Dec 1847 to 4 Jan 1853)
Francisco de Rois y Mendoza, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 14 May 1668 to 29 May 1673)
Cristóbal Rojas Sandoval † (Bishop: 4 May 1556 to 27 May 1562)
Alfonso Rozado † (Bishop: 19 Jul 1706 to 21 Dec 1706)
Pedro Ruiz de la Mota, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 22 Aug 1516 to 4 Jul 1520)
Juan Ruiz de Medina † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1493 to 20 Feb 1495)
Francisco Sáenz de Urturi y Crespo, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 1 Jun 1891 to 21 May 1894)
Fernando Sánchez † (Bishop: 4 Mar 1373 to 1378)
Antonio Senso Lázaro † (Priest: 1891 to 18 Jul 1913)
Pedro Silva y Tenorio, O.P. † (Bishop: 19 Oct 1461 to 20 Jan 1479)
Diego de Simancas † (Bishop: 3 Dec 1568 to 13 Jun 1578)
Alonso de Solís Marroquín y Gragera, O.S. † (Bishop: 17 Feb 1783 to 8 Feb 1797)
Félix Soto y Mancera † (Bishop: 14 Nov 1904 to 31 Jan 1910)
Lorenzo Suárez de Figueroa † (Bishop: 16 Mar 1444)
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 y 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)
Alfonso Fernando Vargas de Toledo, O.E.S.A. † (Bishop: 13 Feb 1353 to 25 Oct 1354)
Fernando de Vera y Zuñiga, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 17 Feb 1614 to 13 Nov 1628)
Pedro Ximénez de Préxamo (Jimenez de Prexamo) † (Bishop: 18 Jan 1486 to 23 Jan 1489)
Luis Zapata de Cárdenas, O.F.M. Rec. †
Bernabé † (Bishop: 27 Jul 1324 to 20 Oct 1329)
Bernardo † (Bishop: 13 Jun 1300 - )
Juan † (Bishop: 25 May 1349 to 1353)
Simón , O. de M. † (Bishop: 15 Jul 1309 to 20 Jul 1324)

Source(s)

Diocese of Badajoz
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 1, Page 383, and Page 384
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 2, Page 209, and Page 210
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 3, Page 266
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 269
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 5, Page 301, and Page 302
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 6, Page 323
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 7, Page 294
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 432, and Page 433
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 11, to Page 12
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 50, Page 707, to Page 709
Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 86, Page 936, and Page 937

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Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz

Archidioecesis Emeritensis Augustana-Pacensis