Metropolitan Archdiocese of Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Barquisimeto / Barquisimeten(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Acarigua–Araure, Carora, Guanare, San Felipe

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora del Carmen (July 16)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: January 14

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1863.03.07: Established as Diocese of Barquisimeto / Barquisimeten(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Mérida and became suffragan of Caracas)
1867.08.14: Suppressed (to establish Diocese of Coro y Barquisimeto)
1869.10.22: Restored as Diocese of Barquisimeto / Barquisimeten(sis) (Latin) (from the suppressed Diocese of Coro y Barquisimeto and became suffragan of Caracas)
1922.10.12: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Coro
1954.06.07: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Guanare
1966.04.30: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Barquisimeto / Barquisimeten(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan see Guanare)
1966.10.07: Lost territory to establish Diocese of San Felipe and gained suffragan see San Felipe
1992.07.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Carora and gained suffragan see Carora
2002.12.27: Gained suffragan see Acarigua–Araure

Contact Info

Address: Curia Arquidiocesana, Av. Libertador entre Av. Argimiro Bracamonte y Av. López Contreras, Sector Patarata, Municipio Iribarren, Parroquia Catedral, Barquisimeto 3001, Venezuela

Phone: 0251 4200100

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2024.06.28 – ...):

Archbishop Polito Rodríguez Méndez (57)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Barquisimeto (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Polito Rodríguez Méndez (57)
(2024.06.28 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela)

Born:	1967.08.13 (Santa Bárbara, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1999.07.31
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.06.18

Priest of Barinas (Venezuela) (1999.07.31 – 2016.04.08)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (2016.04.08 – 2024.06.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (2024.06.28 – ...)

Bishop Oswaldo Enrique Araque Valerio (60)
(Apostolic Administrator 2023.12.08 – 2024.06.28)

Bishop Víctor Hugo Basabe (62) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2018.10.05 – 2023.10.31)

Archbishop Antonio José López Castillo
(2007.12.22 – 2020.03.25)

El Señor es mi pastor, nada me falta

Born:	1945.07.09 (Maracaibo, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1970.07.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.05.28
Died:	2021.07.18 (Maracaibo, Venezuela † 76)

Titular Bishop of Theuzi (1988.02.26 – 1992.08.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1988.02.26 – 1992.08.01)

Bishop of Barinas (Venezuela) (1992.08.01 – 2001.12.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabozo (Venezuela) (2001.12.27 – 2007.12.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (2007.12.22 – 2020.03.25)

Archbishop Tulio Manuel Chirivella Varela
(1982.10.18 – 2007.12.22)

Me gastaré y desgastaré para la gloria de Dios

Born:	1932.11.14 (Aguirre, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1956.11.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.06.09
Died:	2021.04.10 (Miami, FL, USA † 88)

Bishop of Margarita (Venezuela) (1974.04.05 – 1982.10.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1982.10.18 – 2007.12.22)

Second Vice-President of Latin American Episcopal Council (1991 – 1995)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (1996 – 1999)

Archbishop Críspulo Benítez Fontúrvel
(1966.04.30 – 1982.10.18)

Born:	1905.04.25 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1929.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.11.13
Died:	1991.05.01 († 86)

Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1949.10.21 – 1966.04.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1966.04.30 – 1982.10.18)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (1972 – 1978)

Bishops of Barquisimeto (Roman Rite)

Bishop Críspulo Benítez Fontúrvel (later Archbishop)
(1949.10.21 – 1966.04.30)

(see above)

Bishop Enrique María Dubuc Moreno
(1926.09.26 – 1947.11.17)

Born:	1886.09.30
Ordained Priest:	1912.05.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.08.15
Died:	1962.06.22 († 75)

Titular Bishop of Zaraï (1926.05.25 – 1926.09.26)

Coadjutor Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1926.05.25 – 1926.09.26)

Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1926.09.26 – 1947.11.17)

Titular Bishop of Maximiana in Numidia (1947.11.17 – 1962.06.22)

Bishop Aguedo Felipe Alvarado Liscano
(1910.08.15 – 1926.09.26)

Born:	1845.02.05 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1872.08.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.11.06
Died:	1926.09.26 († 81)

Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1910.08.15 – 1926.09.26)

Bishop-elect Gregorio Rodríguez y Obregón
(1894.05.21 – ?)

Born:	1833.05.09 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1860.09.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1895.01.13

Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1894.05.21 – ?)

Bishop Victor José Díez Navarrete
(1869.10.22 – 1893.10.13)

Born:	1818.10.22 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1842.02.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.11.08
Died:	1893.10.13 († 74)

Bishop of Coro y Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1868.06.22 – 1869.10.22)

Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1869.10.22 – 1893.10.13)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Enrique María Dubuc Moreno (1926.05.25 – 1926.09.26)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Luis Azuaje Ayala (66) (later Archbishop) (1999.03.18 – 2006.07.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Eduardo Herrera Riera (1970.10.31 – 1994.07.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Marcial Augusto Ramírez Ponce (1967.03.31 – 1970.04.15)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Barquisimeto, Lara
Former Cathedral: Catedral vieja San Francisco de Asís, Barquisimeto, Lara
Minor Basilica: Basílica el Santo Cristo de la Gracia, Barquisimeto, Lara

Carora (←), San Felipe (→), San Carlos de Venezuela (↘), Guanare (↓), Acarigua–Araure (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 8,590 km²

Population: 2,146,350 Catholics (94.4% of 2,272,730 total)

Pastoral Centres: 97 parishes

Personnel: 154 priests (106 diocesan, 48 religious), 52 deacons, 483 religious (208 brothers, 275 sisters), 44 seminarians