Diocese of Sincelejo, Colombia 🇨🇴

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sincelejo / Sinceleien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Cartagena

Neighbouring Dioceses: Montería (←), Cartagena (↑), Magangué (→), Montelíbano (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1924.06.12: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Sinú (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cartagena)
1931.01.12: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Sinú–San Jorge
1950.03.10: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of San Jorge / Sancti Georgii (Latin)
1954.11.20: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Montería
1969.04.25: Promoted as Diocese of Sincelejo / Sinceleien(sis) (Latin) (gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cartagena, lost territory to Diocese of Magangué, lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Alto Sinú and became suffragan of Cartagena)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.02.19 – ...):

Bishop José Crispiano Clavijo Méndez (74)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sincelejo (Roman Rite)

Bishop José Crispiano Clavijo Méndez (74)
(2015.02.19 – ...)

Bishop of Sincelejo (Colombia)

Me amó hasta entregarse por mi

Born:	1951.06.13 (Tocancipá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1988.11.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.03.14

Priest of Valledupar (Colombia) (1988.11.20 – 2015.02.19)

Bishop of Sincelejo (Colombia) (2015.02.19 – ...)

Archbishop Orlando Antonio Corrales García (79)
(Apostolic Administrator 2014.03.16 – 2015.02.19)

Bishop Nel Hedye Beltrán Santamaría
(1992.04.29 – 2014.03.15)

Born:	1941.12.24 (San Andrés, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1964.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.06.06
Died:	2025.08.12 (Barrancabermeja, Colombia † 83)

Priest of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (1964.06.29 – 1992.04.29)

Bishop of Sincelejo (Colombia) (1992.04.29 – 2014.03.15)

Bishop Héctor Jaramillo Duque, S.D.B.
(1981.08.03 – 1990.09.16)

Born:	1924.04.22 (Manizales, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1950.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.09.20
Died:	1990.09.16 († 66)

Prefect Apostolic of Ariari (Colombia) (1973.09.14 – 1981.08.03)

Bishop of Sincelejo (Colombia) (1981.08.03 – 1990.09.16)

Bishop Félix María Torres Parra (later Archbishop)
(1969.04.25 – 1980.12.11)

Born:	1923.07.12 (Yaguara, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1946.06.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.07.24
Died:	2007.04.03 (Barranquilla, Colombia † 83)

Titular Bishop of Cellæ in Proconsulari (1966.06.04 – 1969.04.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cartagena (Colombia) (1966.06.04 – 1969.04.25)

Bishop of Sincelejo (Colombia) (1969.04.25 – 1980.12.11)

Bishop of Santa Marta (Colombia) (1980.12.11 – 1987.05.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barranquilla (Colombia) (1987.05.11 – 1999.03.18)

Vicars Apostolic of San Jorge (Roman Rite)

Bishop Eloy Tato Losada, I.E.M.E.
(1960.05.03 – 1969.04.25)

Born:	1923.09.06 (Villadequinta, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1946.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.07.25
Died:	2022.01.18 (O Barco de Valdeorras, Spain † 98)

Titular Bishop of Cardicium (1960.05.03 – 1969.04.25)

Vicar Apostolic of San Jorge (Colombia) (1960.05.03 – 1969.04.25)

Bishop of Magangué (Colombia) (1969.04.25 – 1994.05.31)

Bishop José Lecuona Labandibar, I.E.M.E.
(1958.07.04 – 1959.10.20)

Born:	1909.08.28 (Irún, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1935.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.08.03
Died:	1997.01.08 († 87)

Vicar Apostolic of San Jorge (Colombia) (1958.07.04 – 1959.10.20)

Titular Bishop of Vagada (1958.07.04 – 1997.01.08)

Bishop Francisco Santos Santiago, P.I.M.E.
(1950.03.12 – 1957.12.25)

Born:	1894.03.05 (Bermillo de Sayago, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1918.03.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.07.09
Died:	1957.12.25 († 63)

Titular Bishop of Thebæ Phthiotides (1950.03.12 – 1957.12.25)

Vicar Apostolic of San Jorge (Colombia) (1950.03.12 – 1957.12.25)

Prefects Apostolic of Sinú–San Jorge (Roman Rite)

Fr. Marcellino Lardizábal Aguirrebengoa, I.E.M.E.
(1931.01.12 – 1949)

Born:	1879.06.16 (Idiazábal, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1902.12
Died:	1958.01.06 (Madrid, Spain † 78)

Prefect Apostolic of Sinú (Colombia) (1925.03.04 – 1931.01.12)

Prefect Apostolic of Sinú–San Jorge (Colombia) (1931.01.12 – 1949)

Prefects Apostolic of Sinú (Roman Rite)

Fr. Marcellino Lardizábal Aguirrebengoa, I.E.M.E.
(1925.03.04 – 1931.01.12)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de San Francisco de Asís, Sincelejo, Sucre
Former Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Basílica del Señor de los Milagros, San Benito Abad, Sucre
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Montería (←), Cartagena (↑), Magangué (→), Montelíbano (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 10,670 km²

Population: 845,370 Catholics (92.4% of 915,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 60 parishes, 151 missions

Personnel: 86 priests (75 diocesan, 11 religious), 13 deacons, 74 religious (11 brothers, 63 sisters), 22 seminarians