Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bucaramanga, Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Bucaramanga / Bucaramanguen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Barrancabermeja, Málaga–Soatá, Socorro y San Gil, Vélez

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1952.12.17: Established as Diocese of Bucaramanga / Bucaramanguen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Nueva Pamplona and became suffragan of Bogotá in Colombia)
1956.05.29: Became suffragan of Nueva Pamplona
1974.12.14: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bucaramanga / Bucaramanguen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Barrancabermeja and Socorro y San Gil)
1987.07.07: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Málaga–Soatá and gained suffragan see Málaga–Soatá
2003.05.14: Gained suffragan see Vélez

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1986.07)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2009.02.13 – ...):

Archbishop Ismael Rueda Sierra (74)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Bucaramanga (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Ismael Rueda Sierra (74)
(2009.02.13 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia)

Born:	1950.05.11 (Suaita, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1981.08.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.02.17

Priest of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (1981.08.22 – 2000.12.20)

Titular Bishop of Buruni (2000.12.20 – 2003.06.27)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cartagena (Colombia) (2000.12.20 – 2003.06.27)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2003.06.27 – 2009.02.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (2009.02.13 – ...)

Archbishop Víctor Manuel López Forero
(1998.06.27 – 2009.02.13)

Born:	1931.03.29 (Puente Nacional, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1957.10.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.06.29
Died:	2023.09.23 (Bucaramanga, Colombia † 92)

Priest of Bogotá (Colombia) (1957.10.27 – 1977.05.06)

Titular Bishop of Afufenia (1977.05.06 – 1980.12.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1977.05.06 – 1980.12.06)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1980.12.06 – 1985.06.07)

Military Vicar of Colombia (Colombia) (1985.06.07 – 1986.07.21)

Titular Bishop of Cilibia (1985.06.07 – 1994.06.21)

Military Ordinary of Colombia (Colombia) (1986.07.21 – 1994.06.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1994.06.21 – 1998.06.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1998.06.27 – 2009.02.13)

Apostolic Administrator of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2009.05 – 2010.02.02)

Apostolic Administrator of Montelíbano (Colombia) (2010.09 – 2012.02.02)

Archbishop Darío Castrillón Hoyos (later Cardinal)
(1992.12.16 – 1996.06.15)

Christus in vobis spes gloriæ

Born:	1929.07.04 (Medellín, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1952.10.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.07.18
Created Cardinal:	1998.02.21
Died:	2018.05.18 (Vatican City State † 88)

Priest of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) (1952.10.26 – 1971.06.02)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Colombia (1966 – 1971)

Titular Bishop of Villa regis (1971.06.02 – 1976.07.01)

Coadjutor Bishop of Pereira (Colombia) (1971.06.02 – 1976.07.01)

Bishop of Pereira (Colombia) (1976.07.01 – 1992.12.16)

General Secretary of Latin American Episcopal Council (1983 – 1987)

President of Latin American Episcopal Council (1987 – 1991)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1992.12.16 – 1996.06.15)

Pro-Prefect of Congregation for Clergy (1996.06.15 – 1998.02.23)

Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano (1998.02.21 [1998.02.23] – 2008.03.01)

Prefect of Congregation for Clergy (1998.02.23 – 2006.10.31)

President of International Council for Catechesis (1998.02.23 – 2006.10.31)

President of Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” (2000.04.14 – 2009.07.08)

Protodeacon of College of Cardinals (2007.02.23 – 2008.03.01)

Cardinal-Priest of SS. Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano pro hac vice Title (2008.03.01 – 2018.05.18)

Archbishop Héctor Rueda Hernández
(1974.12.14 – 1991.11.07)

Vobis in patrem

Born:	1920.11.09 (Mogotes, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1946.12.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.06.19
Died:	2011.11.01 († 90)

Bishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1960.05.06 – 1974.12.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1974.12.14 – 1991.11.07)

President of Episcopal Conference of Colombia (1984 – 1987)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Medellín (Colombia) (1991.11.07 – 1997.02.13)

Bishops of Bucaramanga (Roman Rite)

Bishop Héctor Rueda Hernández (later Archbishop)
(1960.05.06 – 1974.12.14)

(see above)

Bishop Aníbal Muñoz Duque (later Cardinal)
(1952.12.18 – 1959.08.03)

Jesus Christus et hodie ipse et in sæcula

Born:	1908.10.03 (Santa Rosa de Osos, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1933.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1951.05.27
Created Cardinal:	1973.03.05
Died:	1987.01.15 (Bogotá, Colombia † 78)

Priest of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) (1933.11.19 – 1951.04.08)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1951.04.08 – 1952.12.18)

Bishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1952.12.18 – 1959.08.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1959.08.03 – 1968.03.27)

President of Episcopal Conference of Colombia (1966 – 1972)

Titular Archbishop of Cariana (1968.03.30 – 1972.07.29)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1969.02.02 – 1972.07.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1972.07.29 – 1984.06.25)

Military Vicar of Colombia (Colombia) (1972.07.30 – 1984.06.25)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Bartolomeo all’Isola (1973.03.05 – 1987.01.15)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Juan Vicente Córdoba Villota, S.J. (73) (2004.06.30 – 2011.11.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Héctor Cubillos Peña (74) (2002.02.15 – 2004.06.30)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Isaías Duarte Cancino (later Archbishop) (1985.04.10 – 1988.06.18)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de la Sagrada Familia, Bucaramanga, Santander
Minor Basilica: Basílica de San Juan Bautista, Girón, Santander

Barrancabermeja (←), Ocaña (↖), Nueva Pamplona (→), Málaga–Soatá (↘), Socorro y San Gil (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,397 km²

Population: 1,184,640 Catholics (96.1% of 1,232,231 total)

Pastoral Centres: 111 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 274 priests (176 diocesan, 98 religious), 58 deacons, 641 religious (112 brothers, 529 sisters), 45 seminarians