Diocese of Limón, Costa Rica

Continent: Central America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Limón / Limonen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: San José

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Vincent de Paul (September 27)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: October 1

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1921.02.16: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Limón / Limonen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of San José and became suffragan of San José)
1994.12.30: Promoted as Diocese of Limón / Limonen(sis) (Latin)
2005.05.24: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Cartago

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.03.21 – ...):

Bishop Javier Gerardo Román Arias (62)

President of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica

Ordinaries

Bishops of Limón (Roman Rite)

Bishop Javier Gerardo Román Arias (62)
(2015.03.21 – ...)

Bishop of Limón (Costa Rica)
President of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica

Aqui estoy señor para hacer tu voluntad

Born:	1962.10.19 (Alajuela, Costa Rica)
Ordained Priest:	1987.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.05.30

Priest of San José (Costa Rica) (1987.12.08 – 2015.03.21)

Bishop of Limón (Costa Rica) (2015.03.21 – ...)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica (2017.08.11 – 2020.08.07)

President of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica (2023.09.07 – ...)

Bishop José Rafael Quirós Quirós (69) (later Archbishop)
(2005.12.02 – 2013.07.04)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San José (Costa Rica)

Ofrenda permanente

Born:	1955.05.01 (Llano Grande, Costa Rica)
Ordained Priest:	1981.03.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.02.22

Priest of San José (Costa Rica) (1981.03.05 – 2005.12.02)

Bishop of Limón (Costa Rica) (2005.12.02 – 2013.07.04)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica (2011 – 2017.08.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of San José (Costa Rica) (2013.07.04 – ...)

President of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica (2017.08.11 – 2020.08.07)

Bishop José Francisco Ulloa Rojas (84)
(1994.12.30 – 2005.05.24)

Bishop emeritus of Cartago (Costa Rica)

Sacerdote para servir

Born:	1940.10.01 (Cipreses de Oreamuno, Costa Rica)
Ordained Priest:	1964.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.02.22

Priest of San José (Costa Rica) (1964.12.19 – 1994.12.30)

Bishop of Limón (Costa Rica) (1994.12.30 – 2005.05.24)

President of Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica (2002 – 2008.09)

President of Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama (2005.03 – 2011)

Bishop of Cartago (Costa Rica) (2005.05.24 – 2017.03.04)

Vicars Apostolic of Limón (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alfonso Coto Monge
(1980.03.07 – 1994.12.30)

Born:	1915.08.05 (Costa Rica)
Ordained Priest:	1941.11.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.04.11
Died:	2006.07.22 († 90)

Vicar Apostolic of Limón (Costa Rica) (1980.03.07 – 1994.12.30)

Titular Bishop of Bigastro (1980.03.07 – 2006.07.22)

Bishop Alfonso Höfer Hombach, C.M.
(1958.01.07 – 1979.11.15)

Born:	1911.05.12 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1937.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.04.11
Died:	1989.12.15 († 78)

Vicar Apostolic of Limón (Costa Rica) (1958.01.07 – 1979.11.15)

Titular Bishop of Thebæ Phthiotides (1958.01.07 – 1989.12.15)

Bishop Juan Paulo Odendahl Metz, C.M.
(1938.02.10 – 1957.01.13)

Born:	1888.09.28 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1914.02.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.04.28
Died:	1957.01.13 († 68)

Titular Bishop of Latopolis (1938.02.10 – 1957.01.13)

Vicar Apostolic of Limón (Costa Rica) (1938.02.10 – 1957.01.13)

Bishop Carlos Alberto Wollgarten, C.M.
(1935.01.28 – 1937.04.28)

Born:	1897.01.27 (Germany)
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.05.01
Died:	1937.04.28 († 40)

Titular Bishop of Chusira (1935.01.28 – 1937.04.28)

Vicar Apostolic of Limón (Costa Rica) (1935.01.28 – 1937.04.28)

Bishop Agustín Blessing Presinger, C.M.
(1921.12.16 – 1934.02.01)

Born:	1868.05.11
Ordained Priest:	1894.02.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.05.01
Died:	1934.02.01 († 65)

Titular Bishop of Tegea (1921.12.16 – 1934.02.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Limón (Costa Rica) (1921.12.16 – 1934.02.01)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Limón, Limón

San Isidro de El General (↙), Cartago (←), San José (←), Ciudad Quesada (↖), Juigalpa (↑), Bocas del Toro (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,189 km²

Population: 340,000 Catholics (71.7% of 474,527 total)

Pastoral Centres: 17 parishes, 4 missions

Personnel: 35 priests (30 diocesan, 5 religious), 42 religious (9 brothers, 33 sisters), 5 seminarians