Diocese of Santander, Spain 🇪🇸

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Santander / Santanderien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Oviedo

Neighbouring Dioceses: León (↙), Oviedo (←), Bilbao (→), Burgos (↓), Palencia (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Emeterio and Saint Celedonio (August 30)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 12

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1754.12.12: Established as Diocese of Santander / Santanderien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Burgos and Diocese of Oviedo and became suffragan of Burgos)
1861.09.08: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Vitoria
1949.11.02: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bilbao
1954.10.17: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Burgos, Diocese of León and Diocese of Palencia and lost territory to Diocese of Oviedo
1954.10.27: Became suffragan of Oviedo

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.10.31 – ...):

Bishop Arturo Pablo Ros Murgadas (62)

Monsignors (7)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Santander (Roman Rite)

Bishop Arturo Pablo Ros Murgadas (62)
(2023.10.31 – ...)

Bishop of Santander (Spain)

Properate ad veniam offerre

Born:	1964.06.10 (Vinalesa, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1993.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.09.03

Priest of Valencia (Spain) (1993.06.29 – 2016.06.27)

Titular Bishop of Ursona (2016.06.27 – 2023.10.31)

Auxiliary Bishop of Valencia (Spain) (2016.06.27 – 2023.10.31)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (2023.10.31 – ...)

Bishop Manuel Sánchez Monge (79)
(2015.05.06 – 2023.10.31)

Bishop emeritus of Santander (Spain)

Virtus in infirmitate

Born:	1947.04.18 (Fuentes de Nava, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1970.08.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.07.23

Priest of Palencia (Spain) (1970.08.09 – 2005.06.06)

Bishop of Mondoñedo–Ferrol (Spain) (2005.06.06 – 2015.05.06)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (2015.05.06 – 2023.10.31)

Bishop Vicente Jiménez Zamora (82) (later Archbishop)
(2007.07.27 – 2014.12.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Zaragoza (Spain)

Amoris officium

Born:	1944.01.28 (Ágreda, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1968.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.07.17

Priest of Osma–Soria (Spain) (1968.06.29 – 2004.05.21)

Bishop of Osma–Soria (Spain) (2004.05.21 – 2007.07.27)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (2007.07.27 – 2014.12.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Zaragoza (Spain) (2014.12.12 – 2020.10.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Huesca (Spain) (2024.01.02 – 2025.03.29)

Apostolic Administrator of Jaca (Spain) (2024.01.02 – 2025.03.29)

Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra (81) (later Cardinal)
(Apostolic Administrator 2006.09.23 – 2007.07.27)

Bishop José Vilaplana Blasco (81)
(1991.08.23 – 2006.07.17)

Bishop emeritus of Huelva (Spain)

Christus vita nostra

Born:	1944.12.05 (Benimarfull, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1972.05.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1984.12.27

Priest of Valencia (Spain) (1972.05.25 – 1984.11.20)

Titular Bishop of Bladia (1984.11.20 – 1991.08.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Valencia (Spain) (1984.11.20 – 1991.08.23)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1991.08.23 – 2006.07.17)

Bishop of Huelva (Spain) (2006.07.17 – 2020.06.15)

Bishop Juan Antonio del Val Gallo
(1971.12.03 – 1991.08.23)

Born:	1916.06.13 (Barrio Panizares del Tozo, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1944.07.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1969.05.15
Died:	2002.11.13 († 86)

Titular Bishop of Santa Giusta (1969.04.04 – 1971.12.03)

Auxiliary Bishop of Sevilla (Spain) (1969.04.04 – 1971.12.03)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1971.12.03 – 1991.08.23)

Bishop José María Cirarda Lachiondo (later Archbishop)
(1968.07.22 – 1971.12.03)

Born:	1917.05.23 (Baquio, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1942.07.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.06.29
Died:	2008.09.17 (Vitoria, Spain † 91)

Titular Bishop of Drusiliana (1960.04.09 – 1968.07.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Sevilla (Spain) (1960.04.09 – 1968.07.22)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1968.07.22 – 1971.12.03)

Bishop of Córdoba (Spain) (1971.12.03 – 1978.01.31)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1978 – 1981)

Apostolic Administrator of Tudela (Spain) (1978.01.31 – 1984.08.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pamplona y Tudela (Spain) (1978.01.31 – 1993.03.26)

Bishop Vincente Puchol Montis
(1965.07.02 – 1967.05.08)

Born:	1915.01.16 (Valencia, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1945.03.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.08.15
Died:	1967.05.08 (Villalba, Spain † 52)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1965.07.02 – 1967.05.08)

Bishop Eugenio Beitia Aldazabal
(1962.01.27 – 1965.01.23)

Born:	1902.07.13 (Begoña, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1927.07.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.01.30
Died:	1985.12.25 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Tamiathis (1954.10.30 – 1962.01.27)

Coadjutor Bishop of Badajoz (Spain) (1954.10.30 – 1962.01.27)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1962.01.27 – 1965.01.23)

Titular Bishop of Verrona (1965.01.23 – 1970.12.11)

Bishop José María Eguino Trecu
(1928.10.02 – 1961.05.07)

Born:	1881.10.16 (Azcoitia, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1906.03.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.01.13
Died:	1961.05.07 († 79)

Priest of Santander (Spain) (1906.03.31 – 1928.10.02)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1928.10.02 – 1961.05.07)

Bishop Juan Plaza y García
(1920.12.16 – 1927.07.10)

Born:	1864.09.12 (Hortezuela de Océn, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1887.06.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1913.12.27
Died:	1927.07.10 († 62)

Apostolic Administrator of Calahorra y La Calzada (Spain) (1911.09.06 – 1920.12.16)

Titular Bishop of Hippus (1913.08.27 – 1920.12.16)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1920.12.16 – 1927.07.10)

Bishop Vicente Santiago Sánchez de Castro
(1884.03.27 – 1920.09.19)

Born:	1841.07.25 (Peromingo, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1865.06.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1884.06.01
Died:	1920.09.19 († 79)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1884.03.27 – 1920.09.19)

Bishop Vicente Calvo y Valero
(1875.07.05 – 1884.03.27)

Born:	1838.05.10 (Sevilla, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1875.10.28
Died:	1898.06.27 († 60)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1875.07.05 – 1884.03.27)

Bishop of Cádiz (Spain) (1884.03.27 – 1898.06.27)

Apostolic Administrator of Ceuta (Spain) (1884.03.27 – 1898.06.27)

Bishop José López Crespo
(1859.09.20 – 1875.03.21)

Born:	1797.08.30 (San Pedro de Cornaedo, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1822?
Consecrated Bishop:	1860.01.01
Died:	1875.03.21 († 77)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1859.09.20 – 1875.03.21)

Bishop Manuel Ramón Arias Teijeiro de Castro
(1848.01.17 – 1859.07.20)

Born:	1780.04.29 (Cabanelas, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1848.07.02
Died:	1863.12.18 († 83)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1848.01.17 – 1859.07.20)

Titular Bishop of Echinus (1860.07.13 – 1863.12.18)

Bishop Felipe González Abarca, O. de M.
(1829.09.28 – 1842.03.12)

Born:	1765.11.03 (Avilés, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1791
Consecrated Bishop:	1816.10.27
Died:	1842.03.12 († 76)

Bishop of Ibiza (Spain) (1816.07.22 – 1829.09.28)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) ([1829.08.30] 1829.09.28 – 1842.03.12)

Bishop Juan Nepomuceno Gómez Durán
(1820.02.21 – 1829.07.27)

Born:	1767.03.20 (Val de Santo Domingo, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1820.09.10
Died:	1830.09.30 († 63)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1820.02.21 – 1829.07.27)

Bishop of Málaga (Spain) ([1829.04.11] 1829.07.27 – 1830.09.30)

Bishop Rafael Tomás Menéndez Luarca y Queipo de Llano
(1784.06.25 – 1819.06.20)

Born:	1743.11.22 (Setienes, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1784.09.05
Died:	1819.06.20 († 75)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1784.06.25 – 1819.06.20)

Bishop Francisco Laso Santos de San Pedro
(1762.03.29 – 1783.05.14)

Born:	1708.09.08 (Pozo de la Vega, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1762.06.20
Died:	1783.05.14 († 74)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1762.03.29 – 1783.05.14)

Bishop Francisco Javier Arriaza
(1755.09.24 – 1761.10.10)

Born:	1708.11.06 (Madrid, Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1755.12.07
Died:	1761.10.10 († 52)

Bishop of Santander (Spain) (1755.09.24 – 1761.10.10)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Rafael Torija de la Fuente (1969.11.04 – 1976.09.30)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Doroteo Fernández y Fernández (1956.03.06 – 1962.02.19)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Catedral Basílica de Santa María y Santos Mártires Emeterio y Celedonio, Santander, Cantabria, Cantabria
World Heritage Site: Colegiata de Santa Juliana, Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Cantabria
World Heritage Site: Iglesia de Santa María de la Asuncion, Castro Urdiales, Cantabria, Cantabria
World Heritage Site: Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana, Camaleño, Cantabria, Cantabria
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

León (↙), Oviedo (←), Bilbao (→), Burgos (↓), Palencia (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,527 km²

Population: 554,000 Catholics (95.0% of 583,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 614 parishes, 503 missions

Personnel: 331 priests (193 diocesan, 138 religious), 7 deacons, 732 religious (177 brothers, 555 sisters), 2 seminarians