Diocese of Riohacha, Colombia 🇨🇴

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Riohacha / Riviascianen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Barranquilla

Neighbouring Dioceses: Santa Marta (←), Maracaibo (↘), Valledupar (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1905.01.17: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Goajira / Goajiren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Santa Marta)
1952.12.04: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Riohacha / Riviascianen(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Valledupar)
1988.07.16: Promoted as Diocese of Riohacha / Riviascianen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Barranquilla)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2020.04.22 – ...):

Bishop Francisco Antonio Ceballos Escobar, C.SS.R. (68)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Riohacha (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francisco Antonio Ceballos Escobar, C.SS.R. (68)
(2020.04.22 – ...)

Bishop of Riohacha (Colombia)

Aquí estoy Señor

Born:	1958.03.04 (Génova, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1985.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.07.30

Titular Bishop of Zarna (2010.06.10 – 2020.04.22)

Vicar Apostolic of Puerto Carreño (Colombia) (2010.06.10 – 2020.04.22)

Bishop of Riohacha (Colombia) (2020.04.22 – ...)

Bishop Héctor Ignacio Salah Zuleta (83)
(2005.05.13 – 2020.04.22)

Bishop emeritus of Riohacha (Colombia)

Delectare in domino

Born:	1942.12.24 (Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1972.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.03.26

Bishop of Girardota (Colombia) (1998.02.21 – 2005.05.13)

Apostolic Administrator of Apartadó (Colombia) (2001.09 – 2002.03.01)

Bishop of Riohacha (Colombia) (2005.05.13 – 2020.04.22)

Bishop Armando Larios Jiménez
(2001.03.08 – 2004.06.05)

Born:	1951.05.21 (Pinillos, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1976.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.07.24
Died:	2021.07.22 (Monterrey, Mexico † 70)

Bishop of Magangué (Colombia) (1994.05.31 – 2001.03.08)

Bishop of Riohacha (Colombia) (2001.03.08 – 2004.06.05)

Bishop Gilberto Jiménez Narváez
(1996.07.16 – 2001.03.08)

Que todos sean uno

Born:	1937.02.18 (Abejorral, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1963.09.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.09.07
Died:	2015.10.20 (Medellín, Colombia † 78)

Bishop of Riohacha (Colombia) (1996.07.16 – 2001.03.08)

Auxiliary Bishop of Medellín (Colombia) (2001.03.20 – 2012.02.25)

Titular Bishop of Apollonia (2001.03.20 – 2015.10.20)

Bishop Jairo Jaramillo Monsalve (85) (later Archbishop)
(1988.07.16 – 1995.06.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Barranquilla (Colombia)

Omnibus omnia factus

Born:	1940.12.02 (Rionegro, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1966.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.09.09

Priest of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (1966.07.26 – 1988.07.16)

Bishop of Riohacha (Colombia) (1988.07.16 – 1995.06.10)

Bishop of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) (1995.06.10 – 2010.11.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barranquilla (Colombia) (2010.11.13 – 2017.11.14)

Vicars Apostolic of Riohacha (Roman Rite)

Bishop Livio Reginaldo Fischione, O.F.M. Cap.
(1966.09.29 – 1988.07.16)

Born:	1925.04.15 (Tornimparte, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1950.02.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.12.12
Died:	2009.06.10 (Cartagena, Colombia † 84)

Vicar Apostolic of Riohacha (Colombia) (1966.09.29 – 1988.07.16)

Titular Bishop of Aquæ in Byzacena (1966.09.29 – 2009.06.10)

Bishop Eusebio Septimio Mari, O.F.M. Cap.
(1954.02.21 – 1965.12.21)

Born:	1916.03.24 (Tresacco, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1939.07.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.05.01
Died:	1965.12.21 (L’Aquila, Italy † 49)

Titular Bishop of Pachnemunis (1954.02.21 – 1965.12.21)

Vicar Apostolic of Riohacha (Colombia) (1954.02.21 – 1965.12.21)

Vicars Apostolic of Goajira (Roman Rite)

Bishop Vicente Roig y Villalba, O.F.M. Cap.
(1944.12.15 – 1952.12.04)

Born:	1904.08.29 (Guadasuar, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1927.12.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1945.03.11
Died:	1977.04.05 († 72)

Vicar Apostolic of Goajira (Colombia) (1944.12.15 – 1952.12.04)

Titular Bishop of Arad (1944.12.15 – 1969.04.25)

Vicar Apostolic of Valledupar (Colombia) (1952.12.04 – 1969.04.25)

Bishop of Valledupar (Colombia) (1969.04.25 – 1977.04.05)

Bishop Joaquín Alcaide y Bueso, O.F.M. Cap.
(1931.12.15 – 1943.02.21)

Born:	1879.11.15 (Chilches, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1904.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1932.05.01
Died:	1943.02.21 († 63)

Titular Bishop of Castoria (1931.12.15 – 1943.02.21)

Vicar Apostolic of Goajira (Colombia) (1931.12.15 – 1943.02.21)

Bishop Atanasio María Vicente Soler y Royo, O.F.M. Cap.
(1906.12.22 – 1930.11.21)

Born:	1870.01.27 (Manises, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1907.05.19
Died:	1930.11.21 († 60)

Titular Bishop of Citharizum (1906.12.22 – 1930.11.21)

Vicar Apostolic of Goajira (Colombia) (1906.12.22 – 1930.11.21)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, Riohacha, La Guajira
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (39)

Santa Marta (←), Maracaibo (↘), Valledupar (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 17,122 km²

Population: 576,266 Catholics (62.0% of 930,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 39 parishes, 5 missions

Personnel: 61 priests (50 diocesan, 11 religious), 5 deacons, 46 religious (12 brothers, 34 sisters), 4 seminarians