Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antofagasta, Chile 🇨🇱

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Antofagasta (español) / Antofagasten(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Iquique, San Juan Bautista de Calama, San Marcos de Arica

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Joseph (March 19)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: February 3 (1928)

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1881: Established as Mission sui juris of Antofagasta (español) / Antofagasten(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Plata and Diocese of La Serena)
1887: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Antofagasta (español) / Antofagasten(sis) (Latin)
1928.02.03: Promoted as Diocese of Antofagasta (español) / Antofagasten(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Santiago)
1965.07.21: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Calama
1967.06.28: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antofagasta (español) / Antofagasten(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Iquique, Arica and Calama)

Contact Info

Address: San Martín 2634, Antofagasta, Chile

Phone: 55-556782

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1987.04)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2017.06.08 – ...):

Archbishop Ignacio Francisco Ducasse Medina (69)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Chile

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Antofagasta (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Ignacio Francisco Ducasse Medina (69)
(2017.06.08 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile)
Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Chile

Proclama la palabra

Born:	1956.11.08 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1984.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2002.07.13

Priest of Santiago (Chile) (1984.03.24 – 2002.05.31)

Bishop of Valdivia (Chile) (2002.05.31 – 2017.06.08)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Chile (2011 – 2014)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (2017.06.08 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (2024.04.17 – ...)

Archbishop Pablo Lizama Riquelme (84)
(2004.11.26 – 2017.06.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Antofagasta (Chile)

Me he hecho para todos

Born:	1941.06.04 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1967.07.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.03.09

Priest of Santiago (Chile) (1967.07.06 – 1985.12.19)

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile) (1985.12.19 – 1988.02.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Talca (Chile) (1988.02.24 – 1991.04.04)

Bishop of Melipilla (Chile) (1991.04.04 – 1999.01.04)

Military Ordinary of Chile (Chile) (1999.01.04 – 2004.02.27)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (2004.02.27 – 2004.11.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (2004.11.26 – 2017.06.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Iquique (Chile) (2012.10.09 – 2014.02.22)

Archbishop Patricio Infante Alfonso
(1990.12.12 – 2004.11.26)

Ven y sígueme

Born:	1929.10.09 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1953.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1984.09.23
Died:	2025.04.18 (Santiago, Chile † 95)

Priest of Santiago (Chile) (1953.06.28 – 1984.08.07)

Titular Bishop of Gergis (1984.08.07 – 1990.12.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago (Chile) (1984.08.07 – 1990.12.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1990.12.12 – 2004.11.26)

Archbishop Carlos Oviedo Cavada, O. de M. (later Cardinal)
(1974.03.25 – 1990.03.30)

Pacem diebus nostris

Born:	1927.01.19 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1949.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.06.07
Created Cardinal:	1994.11.26
Died:	1998.12.07 (Santiago de Chile, Chile † 71)

Titular Bishop of Beneventum (1964.03.21 – 1974.03.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Concepción (Chile) (1964.03.21 – 1974.03.25)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Chile (1970 [1974] – 1998.12.07)

Apostolic Administrator of Calama (Chile) (1974 – 1976)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1974.03.25 – 1990.03.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago (Chile) (1990.03.30 – 1998.02.16)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria della Scala pro hac vice Title (1994.11.26 – 1998.12.07)

President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (1995 – 1998)

Apostolic Administrator of Santiago (Chile) (1998.02.16 – 1998.04.24)

Archbishop Francisco de Borja Valenzuela Ríos
(1967.06.28 – 1974.03.25)

Scio cui credidi

Born:	1917.10.10 (Buin, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1943.09.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.07.15
Died:	1998.02.20 († 80)

Bishop-Prelate of Copiapó (Chile) (1955.06.27 – 1956.05.24)

Titular Bishop of Ægeæ (1956.05.24 – 1957.08.20)

Bishop-Prelate of Copiapó (Chile) (1956.05.24 – 1957.08.20)

Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1957.08.20 – 1967.06.28)

Apostolic Administrator of Calama (Chile) (1965.07.21 – 1968.05.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1967.06.28 – 1974.03.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Calama (Chile) (1970.04 – 1970.06.02)

Archbishop-Bishop of San Felipe (Chile) (1974.03.25 – 1983.05.03)

President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (1977 – 1980)

Archbishop-Bishop of Valparaíso (Chile) (1983.05.03 – 1993.04.16)

Bishops of Antofagasta (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francisco de Borja Valenzuela Ríos (later Archbishop)
(1957.08.20 – 1967.06.28)

(see above)

Bishop Hernán Frías Hurtado
(1945.01.13 – 1957.05.24)

Born:	1904.12.24 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1927.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.06.02
Died:	1985.08.03 († 80)

Bishop of San Carlos de Ancud (Chile) (1940.03.28 – 1945.01.13)

Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1945.01.13 – 1957.05.24)

Titular Bishop of Bareta (1957.05.24 – 1970.12.10)

Bishop Alfredo Cifuentes Gómez (later Archbishop)
(1933.12.23 – 1943.06.05)

Born:	1890.02.08 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1913.10.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.04.15
Died:	1989.10.14 († 99)

Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1933.12.23 – 1943.06.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1943.06.05 – 1967.03.10)

Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of Copiapó (Chile) (1947.03.19 – 1948.06.17)

Titular Archbishop of Thapsus (1967.03.10 – 1970.12.02)

Bishop Luís Silva Lezaeta
(1928.02.03 – 1929.05.21)

Born:	1860.02.02 (Tunca, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1882.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1912.04.28
Died:	1929.05.21 († 69)

Vicar Apostolic of Antofagasta (Chile) (1887.05.15 – 1896)

Vicar Apostolic of Antofagasta (Chile) (1904.11.04 – 1928.02.03)

Titular Bishop of Olena (1912.01.05 – 1928.02.03)

Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1928.02.03 – 1929.05.21)

Vicars Apostolic of Antofagasta (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luís Silva Lezaeta
(1904.11.04 – 1928.02.03)

(see above)

Fr. Felipe Salas Errázuriz
(1896.03.04 – 1904.11.04)

Died:

1905

Vicar Apostolic of Antofagasta (Chile) (1896.03.04 – 1904.11.04)

Bishop-elect Luís Silva Lezaeta
(1887.05.15 – 1896)

Born:	1860.02.02 (Tunca, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1882.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1912.04.28
Died:	1929.05.21 († 69)

Vicar Apostolic of Antofagasta (Chile) (1887.05.15 – 1896)

Vicar Apostolic of Antofagasta (Chile) (1904.11.04 – 1928.02.03)

Titular Bishop of Olena (1912.01.05 – 1928.02.03)

Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1928.02.03 – 1929.05.21)

Ecclesiastical Superiors of Antofagasta (Roman Rite)

Fr. Florencio Eduardo Fontecilla Sánchez (later Bishop)
(1883 – 1886.12.23)

Born:	1854.02.22 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1877.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1890.09.08
Died:	1909.03.03 († 55)

Ecclesiastical Superior of Antofagasta (Chile) (1883 – 1886.12.23)

Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1890.06.26 – 1909.03.03)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Pablo Lizama Riquelme (84) (2004.02.27 – 2004.11.26)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Juan Bautista Herrada Armijo, O. de M. (1991.11.30 – 1997.07.16)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Juan Luis Ysern de Arce (95) (1972.04.12 – 1974.05.13)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Arturo Mery Beckdorf (later Archbishop) (1941.03.22 – 1944.07.29)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral San José, Antofagasta, Antofagasta
Minor Basilica: Basílica del Corazón de María, Antofagasta, Antofagasta

Churches by City (22)

Iquique (↑), San Juan Bautista de Calama (↗), Salta (→), Cafayate (↘), Copiapó (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 84,504 km²

Population: 391,100 Catholics (64.4% of 607,534 total)

Pastoral Centres: 23 parishes, 72 missions

Personnel: 36 priests (35 diocesan, 1 religious), 14 deacons, 31 religious (1 brother, 30 sisters), 1 seminarian