Diocese of

Arauca

Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Arauca / Araucen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Nueva Pamplona

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1915.05.26: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Arauca / Araucen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Casanare)
1945.06.15: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Labateca
1956.05.29: Gained territory from the suppressed Apostolic Prefecture of Labateca
1970.11.11: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Arauca / Araucen(sis) (Latin)
1984.07.19: Promoted as Diocese of Arauca / Araucen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Nueva Pamplona)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.11.18 – ...):

Bishop Jaime Cristóbal Abril González (52)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Arauca (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jaime Cristóbal Abril González (52)
(2019.11.18 – ...)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia)

Ad ædificandum in caritate

Born:	1972.07.17 (El Espino, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1996.02.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.06.04

Priest of Tunja (Colombia) (1996.02.10 – 2016.04.16)

Titular Bishop of Putia in Byzacena (2016.04.16 – 2019.11.18)

Auxiliary Bishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (2016.04.16 – 2019.11.18)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia) (2019.11.18 – ...)

Bishop Jaime Muñoz Pedroza (66)
(2010.10.22 – 2018.07.11)

Bishop of Girardot (Colombia)

Te basta mi gracia

Born:	1958.09.30 (Ciénaga, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1984.11.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.12.04

Priest of Tunja (Colombia) (1984.11.24 – 2010.10.22)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia) (2010.10.22 – 2018.07.11)

Bishop of Girardot (Colombia) (2018.07.11 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Espinal (Colombia) (2020.07.18 – 2020.12.19)

Bishop Carlos Germán Mesa Ruiz (81)
(2003.03.20 – 2010.02.02)

Bishop emeritus of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia)

Born:	1943.09.04 (Duitama, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1967.11.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.04.26

Priest of Tunja (Colombia) (1967.11.11 – 2003.03.20)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia) (2003.03.20 – 2010.02.02)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2010.02.02 – 2019.12.12)

Bishop Rafael Arcadio Bernal Supelano, C.SS.R.
(1990.03.29 – 2003.01.10)

Born:	1934.11.28 (Zipaquirá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1959.01.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.04.15
Died:	2019.01.11 (Bucaramanga, Colombia † 84)

Titular Bishop of Amudarsa (1978.02.27 – 1990.03.29)

Vicar Apostolic of Sibundoy (Colombia) (1978.02.27 – 1990.03.29)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia) (1990.03.29 – 2003.01.10)

Bishop of Líbano–Honda (Colombia) (2003.01.10 – 2004.02.28)

Blessed Bishop Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve, M.X.Y.
(1984.07.19 – 1989.10.01)

Born:	1916.02.14 (Santo Domingo, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1940.09.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.01.10
Died:	1989.10.01 🩸 (Arauquita, Colombia † 73)
Beatified:	2017.09.08 (Villavicencio, Colombia)

Titular Bishop of Strumnitza (1970.11.11 – 1984.07.19)

Vicar Apostolic of Arauca (Colombia) (1970.11.11 – 1984.07.19)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia) (1984.07.19 – 1989.10.01)

Bishop and religious of Yarumal Society for the Foreign Missions. Martyr.

Vicars Apostolic of Arauca (Roman Rite)

Blessed Bishop Jesús Emilio Jaramillo Monsalve, M.X.Y.
(1970.11.11 – 1984.07.19)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Arauca (Roman Rite)

Fr. Luís Eduardo García Rodríguez, M.X.Y.
(1956.07.31 – 1970.11.11)

Born:

Prefect Apostolic of Labateca (Colombia) (1945.06.25 – 1956.07.31)

Prefect Apostolic of Arauca (Colombia) (1956.07.31 – 1970.11.11)

Fr. Graziano Martínez, C.M.
(1950.10.27 – 1956)

Died:

1956

Prefect Apostolic of Arauca (Colombia) (1950.10.27 – 1956)

Fr. Giuseppe Potier, C.M.
(1924.05.07 – 1950)

Born:	1873.08.26 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1899.06.04
Died:	1950 († 77)

Prefect Apostolic of Arauca (Colombia) (1924.05.07 – 1950)

Fr. Emilio Larquère, C.M.
(1916.01 – 1923.11.09)

Born:	1869.05.16 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1895.06.23
Died:	1948.07.03 († 79)

Prefect Apostolic of Arauca (Colombia) (1916.01 – 1923.11.09)

Prefect Apostolic of Tierradentro (Colombia) (1923.11.09 – 1948.07.03)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Santa Bárbara, Arauca, Arauca

Duitama–Sogamoso (↙), Málaga–Soatá (←), Nueva Pamplona (↖), Guasdualito (↑), San Fernando de Apure (↗), Puerto Carreño (↘), Trinidad (↓), Yopal (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 23,505 km²

Population: 244,000 Catholics (80.0% of 305,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 27 parishes, 5 missions

Personnel: 51 priests (diocesan), 25 religious (25 sisters), 10 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.27

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