Diocese of

Barrancabermeja

Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Barrancabermeja / Barrancabermeien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bucaramanga

Neighbouring Dioceses: La Dorada–Guaduas (↙), Sonsón–Rionegro (↙), Girardota (←), Santa Rosa de Osos (←), Magangué (↑), Ocaña (↑), Bucaramanga (→), Socorro y San Gil (↘), Chiquinquirá (↓), Vélez (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Peter Claver

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1928.04.02: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Río Magdalena (from Diocese of Nueva Pamplona, Diocese of Santa Marta and Diocese of Socorro y San Gil)
1950.04.18: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Barrancabermeja / Barrancabermeien(sis) (Latin)
1962.10.26: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ocaña
1962.10.27: Promoted as Diocese of Barrancabermeja / Barrancabermeien(sis) (Latin) (gained territory from Diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos and Diocese of Sonsón and became suffragan of Nueva Pamplona)
1974.12.14: Became suffragan of Bucaramanga
1984.03.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of La Dorada–Guaduas
1988.06.18: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Girardota

Present Prelates

Bishop (2020.05.29 – ...):

Bishop Ovidio Giraldo Velásquez (63)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Barrancabermeja (Roman Rite)

Bishop Ovidio Giraldo Velásquez (63)
(2020.05.29 – ...)

Bishop of Barrancabermeja (Colombia)

Gaudete et exsultate

Born:	1963.01.27 (Montebonito, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1989.02.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.07.22

Priest of La Dorada–Guaduas (Colombia) (1989.02.18 – 2020.05.29)

Bishop of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (2020.05.29 – ...)

Bishop Camilo Fernando Castrellón Pizano, S.D.B. (83)
(2009.12.02 – 2020.05.29)

Bishop emeritus of Barrancabermeja (Colombia)

El desarrollo es el nuevo nombre de la paz

Born:	1942.09.22 (Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1972.12.02
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.06.06

Bishop of Tibú (Colombia) (2001.04.23 – 2009.12.02)

Bishop of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (2009.12.02 – 2020.05.29)

Archbishop Ignacio José Gómez Aristizábal (96)
(Apostolic Administrator 2009.02 – 2009.12.02)

Bishop Jaime Prieto Amaya
(1993.11.11 – 2008.12.01)

Born:	1941.03.27 (Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1965.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1993.12.11
Died:	2010.08.25 († 69)

Bishop of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (1993.11.11 – 2008.12.01)

Bishop of Cúcuta (Colombia) (2008.12.01 – 2010.08.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (2009.09 – 2010.03.30)

Bishop Juan Francisco Sarasti Jaramillo, C.I.M. (later Archbishop)
(1983.12.23 – 1993.03.25)

Born:	1938.07.30 (Cali, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1963.03.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.05.06
Died:	2021.02.25 (Cali, Colombia † 82)

Titular Bishop of Egara (1978.03.08 – 1983.12.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cali (Colombia) (1978.03.08 – 1983.12.23)

Bishop of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (1983.12.23 – 1993.03.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibagué (Colombia) (1993.03.25 – 2002.08.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cali (Colombia) (2002.08.17 – 2011.05.18)

Apostolic Administrator of Buenaventura (Colombia) (2004.02.21 – 2004.04.29)

Bishop Bernardo Arango Henao, S.J.
(1962.10.27 – 1983.12.23)

Born:	1908.08.21 (Sonsón, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1938.09.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.06.11
Died:	1993.02.04 († 84)

Prefect Apostolic of Río Magdalena (Colombia) (1947 – 1950.04.18)

Titular Bishop of Bela (1950.04.18 – 1962.10.27)

Vicar Apostolic of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (1950.04.18 – 1962.10.27)

Bishop of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (1962.10.27 – 1983.12.23)

Vicars Apostolic of Barrancabermeja (Roman Rite)

Bishop Bernardo Arango Henao, S.J.
(1950.04.18 – 1962.10.27)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Río Magdalena (Roman Rite)

Fr. Bernardo Arango Henao, S.J. (later Bishop)
(1947 – 1950.04.18)

(see above)

Fr. Raffaello Toro, S.J.
(1932.02.20 – 1947)

Died:

1947

Prefect Apostolic of Río Magdalena (Colombia) (1932.02.20 – 1947)

Fr. Carlo Ilario Currea, S.J.
(1929.01.08 – 1932)

Born:	1879.01.14 (Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1909
Died:	1932 († 53)

Prefect Apostolic of Río Magdalena (Colombia) (1929.01.08 – 1932)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral La Inmaculada, Barrancabermeja, Santander
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

La Dorada–Guaduas (↙), Sonsón–Rionegro (↙), Girardota (←), Santa Rosa de Osos (←), Magangué (↑), Ocaña (↑), Bucaramanga (→), Socorro y San Gil (↘), Chiquinquirá (↓), Vélez (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 15,000 km²

Population: 485,810 Catholics (71.9% of 675,690 total)

Pastoral Centres: 34 parishes, 8 missions

Personnel: 72 priests (66 diocesan, 6 religious), 14 religious (6 brothers, 8 sisters), 20 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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