Archdiocese of Medellín

Archidioecesis Medellensis

Bishop(s)

Ricardo Antonio Tobón Restrepo, Archbishop
José Mauricio Vélez García, Auxiliary Bishop
Jorge Iván Castaño Rubio, C.M.F., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 24 February 1902
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Colombia
Square Kilometers: 718 (277 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://arqmedellin.co/
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Calle 57 N. 49-44, Medellin, Colombia
Telephone: (4)322-77-00

Historical Details

Diocese of Medellín
- Latin Name: Medellensis
- Erected: 14 February 1868
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bogotá
- Country: Colombia

Past and Present Ordinaries

Valerio Antonio Jiménez (Ximenes) † (13 Mar 1868 Appointed - 29 May 1873 Resigned)
José Joaquín Isaza Ruiz † (29 May 1873 Succeeded - 29 Dec 1874 Died)
José Ignacio Montoya Peláez † (7 Apr 1876 Appointed - 15 Jul 1884 Died)
Bernardo Herrera Restrepo † (27 Mar 1885 Appointed - 4 Jun 1891 Appointed, Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada)
Joaquín Pardo y Vergara † (1 Feb 1892 Appointed - 14 Nov 1904 Died)
Manuel José Caicedo (Caycedo) Martínez † (14 Dec 1905 Appointed - 22 Jun 1937 Died)
Tiberio de Jesús Salazar y Herrera † (22 Jun 1937 Succeeded - 4 Mar 1942 Died)
Joaquín Garcia Benitez, C.I.M. † (14 May 1942 Appointed - 28 Nov 1957 Retired)
Tulio Botero Salazar, C.M. † (8 Dec 1957 Appointed - 2 Jun 1979 Retired)
Alfonso López Trujillo † (2 Jun 1979 Succeeded - 9 Jan 1991 Resigned)
Héctor Rueda Hernández † (7 Nov 1991 Appointed - 13 Feb 1997 Retired)
Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo, P.S.S. † (13 Feb 1997 Appointed - 16 Feb 2010 Retired)
Ricardo Antonio Tobón Restrepo (16 Feb 2010 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Medellín
14 February 1868	Erected	Diocese of Antioquía	Diocese of Medellín (erected)
11 April 1900	Territory Lost	Diocese of Medellín	Diocese of Manizales (erected)
Archdiocese of Medellín
24 February 1902	Elevated	Diocese of Medellín	Archdiocese of Medellín
18 March 1957	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Medellín (Abejorral, Alejandría, Aquitania, Algeria, Cocorná, Concepción, El Carmen de Viboral, El Jordán, El Peñol, El Retiro, El Santuario, Granada, Guarne, Guatapé, La Ceja, la Unión, Marinilla, Mesopotamia, Nariño, Puerto Triunfo, Puerto Nare, Pantanillo, ...)	Diocese of Sonsón (erected)
18 June 1988	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Medellín (Girardota, Barbosa, Santo Domingo, Concepción, Alejandría, San Roque, Caracoli, Maceo, Yolombó, and Cisneros)	Diocese of Girardota (erected)
18 June 1988	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Medellín (Amaga, Angelopolis, Armenia, Caldas, Fredonia, Heliconia, Montebello, Santa Barbara, Titiribí, and Venecia along with Santa Isabel, de la Tablaza)	Diocese of Caldas (erected)

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 Medellín

1950 800,000 800,000 100.0% 275 91 366 2,185 253 1,676 64 ap1951

1966 1,200,000 1,250,000 96.0% 298 251 549 2,185 452 3,144 145 ap1967

1968 1,500,000 1,586,650 94.5% 417 254 671 2,235 9 505 2,946 162 ap1971

1976 1,900,000 1,950,000 97.4% 416 416 4,567 334 3,831 182 ap1977

1980 2,125,000 2,250,000 94.4% 446 340 786 2,703 702 3,055 192 ap1981

1990 2,106,214 2,149,197 98.0% 427 284 711 2,962 804 4,604 234 ap1991

1999 2,512,065 2,952,956 85.1% 578 318 896 2,803 886 2,674 264 ap2000

2000 3,004,344 3,106,344 96.7% 546 332 878 3,421 17 863 2,899 268 ap2001

2001 2,788,900 3,280,993 85.0% 597 310 907 3,074 6 951 2,863 270 ap2002

2002 2,667,012 2,963,346 90.0% 590 307 897 2,973 23 968 2,966 281 ap2003

2003 2,587,230 2,907,000 89.0% 601 310 911 2,839 36 750 2,936 296 ap2004

2004 2,625,494 3,012,847 87.1% 590 319 909 2,888 39 760 2,901 301 ap2005

2013 3,074,000 3,718,776 82.7% 692 269 961 3,198 47 766 2,945 337 ap2014

2016 2,968,326 3,919,172 75.7% 737 332 1,069 2,776 48 680 2,945 332 ap2017

2019 2,842,799 3,984,083 71.4% 832 343 1,175 2,419 56 640 2,681 342 ap2020

2021 3,082,475 3,863,087 79.8% 794 354 1,148 2,685 62 569 2,705 342 ap2022

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 Medellín
1950	800,000	800,000	100.0%	275	91	366	2,185		253	1,676	64	ap1951
1966	1,200,000	1,250,000	96.0%	298	251	549	2,185		452	3,144	145	ap1967
1968	1,500,000	1,586,650	94.5%	417	254	671	2,235	9	505	2,946	162	ap1971
1976	1,900,000	1,950,000	97.4%	416		416	4,567		334	3,831	182	ap1977
1980	2,125,000	2,250,000	94.4%	446	340	786	2,703		702	3,055	192	ap1981
1990	2,106,214	2,149,197	98.0%	427	284	711	2,962		804	4,604	234	ap1991
1999	2,512,065	2,952,956	85.1%	578	318	896	2,803		886	2,674	264	ap2000
2000	3,004,344	3,106,344	96.7%	546	332	878	3,421	17	863	2,899	268	ap2001
2001	2,788,900	3,280,993	85.0%	597	310	907	3,074	6	951	2,863	270	ap2002
2002	2,667,012	2,963,346	90.0%	590	307	897	2,973	23	968	2,966	281	ap2003
2003	2,587,230	2,907,000	89.0%	601	310	911	2,839	36	750	2,936	296	ap2004
2004	2,625,494	3,012,847	87.1%	590	319	909	2,888	39	760	2,901	301	ap2005
2013	3,074,000	3,718,776	82.7%	692	269	961	3,198	47	766	2,945	337	ap2014
2016	2,968,326	3,919,172	75.7%	737	332	1,069	2,776	48	680	2,945	332	ap2017
2019	2,842,799	3,984,083	71.4%	832	343	1,175	2,419	56	640	2,681	342	ap2020
2021	3,082,475	3,863,087	79.8%	794	354	1,148	2,685	62	569	2,705	342	ap2022