Diocese of Espinal, Colombia 🇨🇴

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Espinal / El Espinal (español) / Espinalen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Ibagué

Neighbouring Dioceses: Tierradentro (↙), Buga (←), Palmira (↖), Ibagué (↑), Girardot (↗), Neiva (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1957.03.18: Established as Diocese of Espinal / El Espinal (español) / Espinalen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Ibagué and became suffragan of Popayán)
1974.12.14: Became suffragan of Ibagué

Present Prelates

Bishop (2020.12.19 – ...):

Bishop Miguel Fernando González Mariño (60)

Monsignors (10)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Espinal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Miguel Fernando González Mariño (60)
(2020.12.19 – ...)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia)

Veritas in caritate

Born:	1966.01.25 (Tunja, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1998.08.01
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.03.12

Priest of Santa Marta (Colombia) (1998.08.01 – 2016.02.11)

Titular Bishop of Boseta (2016.02.11 – 2020.12.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ibagué (Colombia) (2016.02.11 – 2020.12.19)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (2020.12.19 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Garzón (Colombia) (2022.02.21 – 2025.01.28)

Bishop Jaime Muñoz Pedroza (67)
(Apostolic Administrator 2020.07.18 – 2020.12.19)

Bishop Orlando Roa Barbosa (68) (later Archbishop)
(2015.05.30 – 2020.05.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibagué (Colombia)

Para mi la vida es Cristo

Born:	1958.07.04 (Cali, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1984.12.06
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.07.28

Priest of Ibagué (Colombia) (1984.12.06 – 2012.05.12)

Titular Bishop of Nasbinca (2012.05.12 – 2015.05.30)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ibagué (Colombia) (2012.05.12 – 2015.05.30)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (2015.05.30 – 2020.05.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibagué (Colombia) (2020.05.29 – ...)

Bishop Pablo Emiro Salas Anteliz (69) (later Archbishop)
(2007.10.24 – 2014.08.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barranquilla (Colombia)

Ay de mi si no Anuncio el evangelio

Born:	1957.06.09 (Valledupar, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1984.12.02
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.12.02

Priest of Valledupar (Colombia) (1984.12.02 – 2007.10.24)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (2007.10.24 – 2014.08.18)

Bishop of Armenia (Colombia) (2014.08.18 – 2017.11.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barranquilla (Colombia) (2017.11.14 – ...)

Bishop Abraham Escudero Montoya
(1990.04.30 – 2007.02.02)

Born:	1940.01.24 (Urrao, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1968.06.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.06.21
Died:	2009.11.06 (Cali, Colombia † 69)

Priest of Medellín (Colombia) (1968.06.08 – 1986.05.22)

Titular Bishop of Risinium (1986.05.22 – 1990.04.30)

Auxiliary Bishop of Medellín (Colombia) (1986.05.22 – 1990.04.30)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1990.04.30 – 2007.02.02)

Bishop of Palmira (Colombia) (2007.02.02 – 2009.11.06)

Bishop Alonso Arteaga Yepes
(1985.10.25 – 1989.10.30)

Born:	1925.02.12 (Don Matías, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1953.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.11.11
Died:	1989.10.30 († 64)

Titular Bishop of Auzegera (1962.09.12 – 1965.07.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Popayán (Colombia) (1962.09.12 – 1965.07.24)

Bishop of Ipiales (Colombia) (1965.07.24 – 1985.10.25)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1985.10.25 – 1989.10.30)

Bishop Hernando Rojas Ramirez
(1974.12.12 – 1985.07.01)

Born:	1924.12.12 (Choconta, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1947.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.06.15
Died:	2002.02.14 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Auca (1972.04.26 – 1974.12.12)

Coadjutor Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1972.04.26 – 1974.12.12)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1974.12.12 – 1985.07.01)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia) (1985.07.01 – 2001.01.19)

Bishop Jacinto Vásquez Ochoa
(1956.12.22 – 1974.12.12)

Born:	1909.11.05 (Tarqui, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1939.12.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.04.28
Died:	1980.07.21 († 70)

Priest of Garzón (Colombia) (1939.12.03 – 1956.12.22)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1956.12.22 – 1974.12.12)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Hernando Rojas Ramirez (1972.04.26 – 1974.12.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora del Rosario, El Espinal, Tolima
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Tierradentro (↙), Buga (←), Palmira (↖), Ibagué (↑), Girardot (↗), Neiva (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 14,000 km²

Population: 405,500 Catholics (82.7% of 490,500 total)

Pastoral Centres: 61 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 109 priests (104 diocesan, 5 religious), 31 religious (9 brothers, 22 sisters), 29 seminarians