Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuenca, Ecuador

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Cuenca / Conchen(sis) in Æquatore (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Azogues, Loja, Machala

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1786.07.01: Established as Diocese of Cuenca / Conchen(sis) in Æquatore (Latin) (from Diocese of Quito and became suffragan of Lima)
1803.05.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Maynas
1838.01.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Guayaquil
1848.01.13: Became suffragan of Quito
1862.12.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bolivar and Diocese of Loja
1957.04.09: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuenca / Conchen(sis) in Æquatore (Latin) (with suffragan see Loja)
1957.12.29: Lost territory to Diocese of Riobamba and gained suffragan see Guaranda
1961.09.11: Lost suffragan see Guaranda and gained suffragan see El Oro
1968.06.26: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Azogues and gained suffragan see Azogues

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1985.01)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2016.06.20 – ...):	Archbishop Marcos Aurelio Pérez Caicedo (57)
Auxiliary Bishop (2023.06.09 – ...):	Bishop Fernando Ortega Ortega (51) Titular Bishop of Thizica

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Cuenca (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Marcos Aurelio Pérez Caicedo (57)
(2016.06.20 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador)

Oportet illum regnare

Born:	1967.07.14 (Daule, Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1992.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.07.22

Priest of Guayaquil (Ecuador) (1992.03.19 – 2006.06.10)

Titular Bishop of Maastricht (2006.06.10 – 2012.02.10)

Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador) (2006.06.10 – 2012.02.10)

Bishop of Babahoyo (Ecuador) (2012.02.10 – 2016.06.20)

Apostolic Administrator of Guaranda (Ecuador) (2014 – 2014.06.24)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Ecuador (2014.05.08 – 2017.04.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (2016.06.20 – ...)

Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, O.F.M. (69) (later Cardinal)
(2009.04.20 – 2015.09.24)

Cardinal-Priest of Santa Famiglia di Nazareth a Centocelle
Metropolitan Archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador)
President of Episcopal Conference of Ecuador

Verbum Domini nuntiantes

Born:	1955.10.11 (Azogues, Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1983.09.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.07.04
Created Cardinal:	2024.12.07

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (2009.04.20 – 2015.09.24)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Ecuador (2011 – 2014)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador) (2015.09.24 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Ecuador (2017.04.28 – 2020.11.11)

President of Episcopal Conference of Ecuador (2020.11.11 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Daule (Ecuador) (2022.03.17 – 2022.04.22)

Cardinal-Priest of Santa Famiglia di Nazareth a Centocelle (2024.12.07 – ...)

Archbishop Vicente Rodrigo Cisneros Durán
(2000.02.15 – 2009.04.20)

Born:	1934.02.23 (Pelileo, Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1957.07.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.01.07
Died:	2017.12.29 (Quito, Ecuador † 83)

Titular Bishop of Tigisi in Mauretania (1967.12.01 – 1969.07.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador) (1967.12.01 – 1969.07.04)

Bishop of Ambato (Ecuador) (1969.07.04 – 2000.02.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (2000.02.15 – 2009.04.20)

President of Episcopal Conference of Ecuador (2002 – 2005)

Archbishop Luis Alberto Luna Tobar, O.C.D.
(1981.03.07 – 2000.02.15)

Ita Pater

Born:	1923.12.15 (Quito, Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1946.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.09.18
Died:	2017.02.07 (Quito, Ecuador † 93)

Titular Bishop of Mulli (1977.08.17 – 1981.03.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Quito (Ecuador) (1977.08.17 – 1981.03.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1981.03.07 – 2000.02.15)

Archbishop Ernesto Álvarez Álvarez, S.D.B.
(1971.04.21 – 1980.07.21)

Born:	1925.05.02 (Riobamba, Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1953.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.01.14
Died:	1991.02.13 († 65)

Titular Bishop of Megalopolis in Proconsulari (1967.12.01 – 1970.05.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador) (1967.12.01 – 1970.05.01)

Titular Archbishop of Clypia (1970.05.01 – 1971.04.21)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1970.05.01 – 1971.04.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1971.04.21 – 1980.07.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador) (1980.07.21 – 1984.10.31)

Archbishop ad personam (1980.07.21 – 1991.02.13)

Archbishop Manuel de Jesús Serrano Abad
(1957.04.09 – 1971.04.21)

Born:	1898.12.25 (Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1922.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.11.13
Died:	1971.04.21 († 72)

Titular Bishop of Arsinoë in Arcadia (1954.08.18 – 1956.11.16)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1956.11.16 – 1957.04.09)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1957.04.09 – 1971.04.21)

Bishops of Cuenca (Roman Rite)

Bishop Manuel de Jesús Serrano Abad (later Archbishop)
(1956.11.16 – 1957.04.09)

(see above)

Bishop Daniel Hermida Ortega
(1918.05.12 – 1956.09.30)

Born:	1863.08.28 (Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1895.06.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1919.11.09
Died:	1956.09.30 († 93)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1918.05.12 – 1956.09.30)

Bishop Emmanuele Maria Polit (later Archbishop)
(1907.01.11 – 1918.05.12)

Born:	1862.03.25 (Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1894.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1907.11.01
Died:	1932.10.30 († 70)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1907.01.11 – 1918.05.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Quito (Ecuador) (1918.05.12 – 1932.10.30)

Apostolic Administrator of Portoviejo (Ecuador) (1926 – 1932.10.30)

Bishop Miguel León y Garrido
(1884.11.13 – 1900.03.31)

Born:	1824.04.28 (Ecuador)
Ordained Priest:	1847.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1885.01.25
Died:	1900.03.31 († 75)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1884.11.13 – 1900.03.31)

Bishop Remigio Estéves de Toral
(1861.07.22 – 1883.05.02)

Born:	1814.06.23 (Quito, Ecuador)
Consecrated Bishop:	1861.11.10
Died:	1883.05.02 († 68)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1861.07.22 – 1883.05.02)

Bishop José Manuel Plaza de la Tejera, O.F.M. Obs.
(1848.07.03 – 1853.09.22)

Born:	1772.01.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1848.10.29
Died:	1853.09.22 († 81)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1848.07.03 – 1853.09.22)

Bishop Félix Calixto Miranda y Suárez de Figueroa
(1827.05.21 – 1829?)

Consecrated Bishop:	1828.07.13
Died:	1829?

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1827.05.21 – 1829?)

Bishop José Ignacio Cortázar y Labayen
(1815.03.15 – 1818.07.16)

Born:	1760 (Ecuador)
Consecrated Bishop:	1816.12.27
Died:	1818.07.16 († 57)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1815.03.15 – 1818.07.16)

Bishop Andrés Quintian Ponte de Andrade
(1805.09.09 – 1813.06.24)

Born:	1751.06.06 (Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1778.06.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1807.02.02
Died:	1813.06.24 († 62)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1805.09.09 – 1813.06.24)

Bishop Francisco Javier Fita y Carrión
(1803.03.28 – 1804.05.24)

Born:	1740.10.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1804.01.04
Died:	1804.05.24 († 63)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1803.03.28 – 1804.05.24)

Bishop José Cuero y Caicedo
(1798.07.03 – 1801.12.23)

Consecrated Bishop:	1799.08.13
Died:	1815.12.10

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1798.07.03 – 1801.12.23)

Bishop of Quito (Ecuador) (1801.12.23 – 1815.12.10)

Bishop José Carrión y Marfil
(1786.12.18 – 1798.07.03)

Born:	1747.04.24 (Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1773
Consecrated Bishop:	1785.03.27
Died:	1827.05.13 († 80)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada (Colombia) (1784.06.25 – 1786.12.18)

Coadjutor Bishop of Carystus (Greece) (1784.06.25 – 1786.12.18)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1786.12.18 – 1798.07.03)

Bishop of Trujillo (Peru) (1798.07.03 – 1824.09)

Bishop Diego Ramírez de Fuenleal o de Villaescusa
(1518.04.12 – 1537)

Born:	1459.12.07 (Villaescusa de Haro, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1498.02.14
Died:	1537.08.11 (Cuenca, Ecuador † 77)

Bishop of Astorga (Spain) (1498 – 1500.02.07)

Bishop of Málaga (Spain) (1500.02.07 – 1518.04.12)

Bishop of Cuenca (Ecuador) (1518.04.12 – 1537)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Ernesto Álvarez Álvarez, S.D.B. (1970.05.01 – 1971.04.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Bolivar Piedra Aguirre (59) (2019.05.20 – 2022.09.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Gabriel Diaz Cueva (1967 – 1968.06.26)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Ignacio Checa y Barba (later Archbishop) (1861.07.22 – 1866.08.06)

Special Churches

Cathedral, World Heritage Site: Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción, Cuenca, Azuay
Former Cathedral, World Heritage Site: Catedral vieja, Cuenca, Azuay
Minor Basilica, World Heritage Site (Minor): Basílica de la Santísima Trinidad, Cuenca, Azuay
Minor Basilica: Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Gualaceo, Azuay

Machala (↙), San Jacinto (↖), Azogues (↑), Méndez (→), Zamora (↘), Loja (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 8,010 km²

Population: 756,110 Catholics (80.0% of 945,138 total)

Pastoral Centres: 83 parishes, 4 missions

Personnel: 111 priests (70 diocesan, 41 religious), 9 deacons, 240 religious (52 brothers, 188 sisters), 18 seminarians