Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bahía Blanca, Argentina

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Bahía Blanca / Sinus Albi (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Alto Valle del Río Negro, Comodoro Rivadavia, Rawson, Río Gallegos, San Carlos de Bariloche, Santa Rosa, Viedma, Esquel

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora de la Merced (September 24)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1934.04.20: Established as Diocese of Bahía Blanca / Sinus Albi (Latin) (from Diocese of La Plata and became suffragan of La Plata)
1957.02.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bahía Blanca / Sinus Albi (Latin) (with suffragan sees Comodoro Rivadavia, Santa Rosa and Viedma and lost territory to establish Diocese of Mar del Plata and Diocese of Santa Rosa)
1961.04.10: Gained suffragan see Río Gallegos
1993.07.22: Gained suffragan sees Alto Valle del Río Negro and San Carlos de Bariloche
2009.03.14: Gained suffragan see Esquel
2023.10.19: Gained suffragan see Rawson

Contact Info

Address: Av. Colón 164, B8000FTO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

Phone: (0291) 4550707

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1987.04)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2017.07.12 – ...):	Archbishop Carlos Alfonso Azpiroz Costa, O.P. (68)
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.09.12 – ...):	Bishop Pedro Ernesto Fournau (47) Titular Bishop of Bararus

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Bahía Blanca (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Carlos Alfonso Azpiroz Costa, O.P. (68)
(2017.07.12 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina)

Alégrense siempre en el Señor

Born:	1956.10.30 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1987.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.12.22

Master of the Order of Order of Preachers (Dominicans) (2001.07.14 – 2010.09.05)

Grand Chancellor of Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) (2001.07.14 – 2010.09.05)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (2015.11.03 – 2017.07.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (2017.07.12 – ...)

Second Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Argentina (2021.11.09 – 2024.11.12)

Archbishop Guillermo José Garlatti (84)
(2003.03.11 – 2017.07.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Bahía Blanca (Argentina)

Un solo Dios y padre de todos

Born:	1940.07.12 (Forgaria, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1964.07.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.11.30

Priest of La Plata (Argentina) (1964.07.05 – 1994.08.27)

Titular Bishop of Aquæ regiæ (1994.08.27 – 1997.02.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of La Plata (Argentina) (1994.08.27 – 1997.02.20)

Bishop of San Rafael (Argentina) (1997.02.20 – 2003.03.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (2003.03.11 – 2017.07.12)

Archbishop Rómulo García
(1991.05.31 – 2002.06.15)

Totus tuus

Born:	1927.03.24 (Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1950.12.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.09.24
Died:	2005.12.18 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Uzita (1975.08.09 – 1976.01.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Mar del Plata (Argentina) (1975.08.09 – 1976.01.19)

Bishop of Mar del Plata (Argentina) (1976.01.19 – 1991.05.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (1991.05.31 – 2002.06.15)

Archbishop Jorge Mayer
(1972.05.31 – 1991.05.31)

Minister ac testis

Born:	1915.11.20 (San Miguel Arcángel, Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1940.03.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.06.09
Died:	2010.12.25 († 95)

Bishop of Santa Rosa (Argentina) (1957.03.13 – 1972.05.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (1972.05.31 – 1991.05.31)

Archbishop Germiniano Esorto
(1957.02.11 – 1972.05.31)

Born:	1897.06.09 (Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1924.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1943.10.31
Died:	1978.10.18 († 81)

Titular Bishop of Birtha (1943.08.23 – 1946.11.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of La Plata (Argentina) (1943.08.23 – 1946.11.02)

Bishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (1946.11.02 – 1957.02.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (1957.02.11 – 1972.05.31)

Bishops of Bahía Blanca (Roman Rite)

Bishop Germiniano Esorto (later Archbishop)
(1946.11.02 – 1957.02.11)

(see above)

Bishop Leandro Bautista Astelarra
(1934.09.13 – 1943.08.24)

Born:	1883.12.09
Ordained Priest:	1908.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.03.03
Died:	1943.08.24 († 59)

Bishop of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) (1934.09.13 – 1943.08.24)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Carlos Alfonso Azpiroz Costa, O.P. (68) (2015.11.03 – 2017.07.12)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jorge Luis Wagner (57) (2019.09.24 – 2024.02.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pedro María Laxague (72) (2006.11.14 – 2015.11.03)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Néstor Hugo Navarro (90) (1998.04.15 – 2003.03.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Vittorio Tommasí (1984.11.19 – 1991.08.28)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Emilio Ogñénovich (later Archbishop) (1979.10.01 – 1982.06.08)