Territorial Prelature of Illapel, Chile 🇨🇱

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Territorial Prelature

Name: Illapel (español) / Illapen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: La Serena

Neighbouring Dioceses: La Serena (↑), San Juan de Cuyo (→), San Felipe (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: San Rafael Arcángel (September 29)

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1960.04.30: Established as Territorial Prelature of Illapel (español) / Illapen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Serena and Diocese of San Felipe and became suffragan of La Serena)

Contact Info

Address: Constitución 020, Illapel, Chile

Phone: 53-521143

Present Prelates

Bishop-Prelate (2023.12.12 – ...):

Bishop Julio Esteban Larrondo Yáñez (66)

Ordinaries

Prelates of Illapel (Roman Rite)

Bishop Julio Esteban Larrondo Yáñez (66)
(2023.12.12 – ...)

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile)

Estoy entre ustedes como servidor

Born:	1959.08.23 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1992.12.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.09.26

Priest of Santiago (Chile) (1992.12.12 – 2020.05.26)

Titular Bishop of Magarmel (2020.05.26 – 2023.12.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago (Chile) (2020.05.26 – 2023.12.12)

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile) (2023.12.12 – ...)

Bishop Jorge Patricio Vega Velasco, S.V.D. (68)
(2010.02.20 – 2021.06.08)

Bishop of Valparaíso (Chile)

Y el verbo se hizo carne

Born:	1957.06.12 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1984.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.04.17

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile) (2010.02.20 – 2021.06.08)

Bishop of Valparaíso (Chile) (2021.06.08 – ...)

Bishop Rafael de la Barra Tagle, S.V.D.
(1989.06.17 – 2010.02.20)

Veni Sancte Spiritus

Born:	1930.10.29 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1954.06.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.09.09
Died:	2025.10.09 (Santiago, Chile † 94)

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile) (1989.06.17 – 2010.02.20)

Bishop Pablo Lizama Riquelme (84) (later Archbishop)
(1985.12.19 – 1988.02.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Antofagasta (Chile)

Me he hecho para todos

Born:	1941.06.04 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1967.07.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.03.09

Priest of Santiago (Chile) (1967.07.06 – 1985.12.19)

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile) (1985.12.19 – 1988.02.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Talca (Chile) (1988.02.24 – 1991.04.04)

Bishop of Melipilla (Chile) (1991.04.04 – 1999.01.04)

Military Ordinary of Chile (Chile) (1999.01.04 – 2004.02.27)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (2004.02.27 – 2004.11.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (2004.11.26 – 2017.06.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Iquique (Chile) (2012.10.09 – 2014.02.22)

Bishop Cirilo Polidoro van Vlierberghe, O.F.M.
(1966.06.27 – 1984.08.11)

Born:	1909.03.06 (Waesmunster, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1934.08.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.08.28
Died:	2006.05.09 († 97)

Apostolic Administrator of Illapel (Chile) (1960 – 1966.06.27)

Titular Bishop of Municipa (1966.06.27 – 1977.11.17)

Bishop-Prelate of Illapel (Chile) (1966.06.27 – 1984.08.11)

Fr. Cirilo Polidoro van Vlierberghe, O.F.M. (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1960 – 1966.06.27)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de San Rafael, Illapel, Coquimbo
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (12)

La Serena (↑), San Juan de Cuyo (→), San Felipe (↓)

Statistics (2019.12.31)

Area: 10,080 km²

Population: 68,750 Catholics (79.4% of 86,570 total)

Pastoral Centres: 12 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 12 priests (8 diocesan, 4 religious), 1 deacon, 20 religious (6 brothers, 14 sisters)