Diocese of David, Panama

Continent: Central America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: David / Daviden(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Panamá

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1955.03.06: Established as Diocese of David / Daviden(sis) (Latin) (from Archdiocese of Panamá and became suffragan of Panamá)
1962.10.17: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Bocas del Toro

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.02.15 – ...):

Bishop Luis Enrique Saldaña Guerra, O.F.M. (58)

Ordinaries

Bishops of David (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luis Enrique Saldaña Guerra, O.F.M. (58)
(2024.02.15 – ...)

Bishop of David (Panama)

Serve cum caritate

Born:	1966.02.24 (David, Panama)
Ordained Priest:	2006.04.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.04.27

Bishop of David (Panama) (2024.02.15 – ...)

Cardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R. (80)
(1999.07.02 – 2024.02.15)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giuseppe da Copertino
Bishop emeritus of David (Panama)

Præsumus si prosumus

Born:	1944.02.24 (Pamplona, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1969.07.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.01.18
Created Cardinal:	2015.02.14

Titular Bishop of Parthenia (1985.12.30 – 1994.10.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Panamá (Panama) (1985.12.30 – 1994.10.29)

General Secretary of Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama (1992 – 1997)

Bishop of Chitré (Panama) (1994.10.29 – 1999.07.02)

Bishop of David (Panama) (1999.07.02 – 2024.02.15)

President of Episcopal Conference of Panama (2000 – 2004)

President of Episcopal Conference of Panama (2007.04 – 2013.01)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Giuseppe da Copertino (2015.02.14 [2015.10.18] – ...)

Bishop Daniel Enrique Núñez Núñez
(1964.06.04 – 1999.01.11)

Born:	1927.05.13 (Panama)
Ordained Priest:	1953.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.08.02
Died:	1999.01.11 († 71)

Bishop of David (Panama) (1964.06.04 – 1999.01.11)

President of Episcopal Conference of Panama (1973 – 1977)

Bishop Tomás Alberto Clavel Méndez (later Archbishop)
(1955.07.24 – 1964.03.03)

Born:	1921.12.21 (Panama)
Ordained Priest:	1947.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.09.25
Died:	1988.10.13 († 66)

Bishop of David (Panama) (1955.07.24 – 1964.03.03)

President of Episcopal Conference of Panama (1964 – 1967)

President of Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama (1964 – 1971)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Panamá (Panama) (1964.03.03 – 1968.12.18)

Titular Archbishop of Alessano (1968.12.18 – 1978.02.21)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Carlos Ambrosio Lewis, S.V.D. (1986.05.22 – 1994.04.18)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de San José, David, Chiriquí
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (26)

San Isidro de El General (←), Bocas del Toro (↑), Santiago de Veraguas (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 6,476 km²

Population: 457,200 Catholics (88.0% of 519,530 total)

Pastoral Centres: 26 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 51 priests (16 diocesan, 35 religious), 11 deacons, 35 religious (35 brothers), 2 seminarians