Diocese of Socorro y San Gil, Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Socorro y San Gil / Succursen(sis) et Sancti Ægidii (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bucaramanga

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (secondary)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1895.03.20: Established as Diocese of Socorro / Succursen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Nueva Pamplona and Diocese of Tunja and became suffragan of Santafé en Nueva Granada)
1928.01.19: Renamed as Diocese of Socorro y San Gil / Succursen(sis) et Sancti Ægidii (Latin)
1928.04.02: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Río Magdalena
1956.05.29: Became suffragan of Nueva Pamplona
1974.12.14: Became suffragan of Bucaramanga
2003.05.14: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Vélez

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.12.12 – ...):

Bishop Luis Augusto Campos Flórez (66)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Socorro y San Gil (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luis Augusto Campos Flórez (66)
(2019.12.12 – ...)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia)

Born:	1958.08.23 (Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1982.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.02.08

Priest of Bogotá (Colombia) (1982.12.08 – 2019.12.12)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2019.12.12 – ...)

Bishop Carlos Germán Mesa Ruiz (81)
(2010.02.02 – 2019.12.12)

Bishop emeritus of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia)

Born:	1943.09.04 (Duitama, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1967.11.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.04.26

Priest of Tunja (Colombia) (1967.11.11 – 2003.03.20)

Bishop of Arauca (Colombia) (2003.03.20 – 2010.02.02)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2010.02.02 – 2019.12.12)

Archbishop Víctor Manuel López Forero
(Apostolic Administrator 2009.05 – 2010.02.02)

Bishop Ismael Rueda Sierra (74) (later Archbishop)
(2003.06.27 – 2009.02.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia)

Born:	1950.05.11 (Suaita, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1981.08.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.02.17

Priest of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (1981.08.22 – 2000.12.20)

Titular Bishop of Buruni (2000.12.20 – 2003.06.27)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cartagena (Colombia) (2000.12.20 – 2003.06.27)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2003.06.27 – 2009.02.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (2009.02.13 – ...)

Bishop Jorge Leonardo Gómez Serna, O.P. (82)
(1986.03.06 – 2001.11.03)

Bishop emeritus of Magangué (Colombia)

Born:	1942.11.07 (Marinilla, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1968.08.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1985.07.09

Bishop-Prelate of Tibú (Colombia) (1980.10.09 – 1985.04.15)

Bishop-Prelate of Tibú (Colombia) (1985.04.15 – 1986.03.06)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1986.03.06 – 2001.11.03)

Bishop of Magangué (Colombia) (2001.11.03 – 2012.07.30)

Bishop Víctor Manuel López Forero (later Archbishop)
(1980.12.06 – 1985.06.07)

Born:	1931.03.29 (Puente Nacional, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1957.10.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.06.29
Died:	2023.09.23 (Bucaramanga, Colombia † 92)

Priest of Bogotá (Colombia) (1957.10.27 – 1977.05.06)

Titular Bishop of Afufenia (1977.05.06 – 1980.12.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1977.05.06 – 1980.12.06)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1980.12.06 – 1985.06.07)

Military Vicar of Colombia (Colombia) (1985.06.07 – 1986.07.21)

Titular Bishop of Cilibia (1985.06.07 – 1994.06.21)

Military Ordinary of Colombia (Colombia) (1986.07.21 – 1994.06.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1994.06.21 – 1998.06.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1998.06.27 – 2009.02.13)

Apostolic Administrator of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (2009.05 – 2010.02.02)

Apostolic Administrator of Montelíbano (Colombia) (2010.09 – 2012.02.02)

Bishop Ciro Alfonso Gómez Serrano
(1975.10.25 – 1980.01.19)

Born:	1918.10.23 (Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1941.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.05.28
Died:	1980.01.19 († 61)

Bishop of Girardot (Colombia) (1961.04.08 – 1972.07.24)

Titular Bishop of Elepla (1972.07.24 – 1975.10.25)

Coadjutor Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1972.07.24 – 1975.10.25)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1975.10.25 – 1980.01.19)

Bishop Pedro José Rivera Mejía
(1953.02.20 – 1975.10.25)

Born:	1906.04.27 (Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1929.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1951.09.09
Died:	1987.06.16 († 81)

Titular Bishop of Edistiana (1951.06.25 – 1953.02.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Marta (Colombia) (1951.06.25 – 1953.02.20)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1953.02.20 – 1975.10.25)

Bishop Aníbal Muñoz Duque (later Cardinal)
(1951.04.08 – 1952.12.18)

Jesus Christus et hodie ipse et in sæcula

Born:	1908.10.03 (Santa Rosa de Osos, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1933.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1951.05.27
Created Cardinal:	1973.03.05
Died:	1987.01.15 (Bogotá, Colombia † 78)

Priest of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) (1933.11.19 – 1951.04.08)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1951.04.08 – 1952.12.18)

Bishop of Bucaramanga (Colombia) (1952.12.18 – 1959.08.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1959.08.03 – 1968.03.27)

President of Episcopal Conference of Colombia (1966 – 1972)

Titular Archbishop of Cariana (1968.03.30 – 1972.07.29)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1969.02.02 – 1972.07.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1972.07.29 – 1984.06.25)

Military Vicar of Colombia (Colombia) (1972.07.30 – 1984.06.25)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Bartolomeo all’Isola (1973.03.05 – 1987.01.15)

Bishop Angel Maria Ocampo Berrio, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1947.07.19 – 1950.12.06)

Born:	1897.12.09 (Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1930.08.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1942.08.16
Died:	1991.04.20 († 93)

Titular Bishop of Cynopolis in Arcadia (1942.06.23 – 1947.07.19)

Coadjutor Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1942.06.23 – 1947.07.19)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1947.07.19 – 1950.12.06)

Bishop of Tunja (Colombia) (1950.12.06 – 1964.06.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tunja (Colombia) (1964.06.20 – 1970.02.20)

Titular Archbishop of Castulo (1970.02.20 – 1973.03.10)

Bishop Leonida Medina (later Archbishop)
(1928.01.19 – 1947.07.19)

Born:	1854.06.18
Ordained Priest:	1876.10.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1912.06.29
Died:	1953.12.25 († 99)

Bishop of Pasto (Colombia) (1912.01.22 – 1916.03.27)

Titular Bishop of Chamacus (1916.03.27 – 1923.03.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bogotá in Colombia (Colombia) (1916.03.27 – 1923.03.07)

Bishop of Socorro (Colombia) (1923.03.07 – 1928.01.19)

Bishop of Socorro y San Gil (Colombia) (1928.01.19 – 1947.07.19)

Titular Archbishop of Novæ Patræ (1947.07.19 – 1953.12.25)

Bishops of Socorro (Roman Rite)

Bishop Leonida Medina (later Archbishop)
(1923.03.07 – 1928.01.19)

(see above)

Bishop Antonio Vincenzo Arenas
(1914.05.28 – 1922.07.12)

Born:	1862.01.06
Ordained Priest:	1888.02.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1914.08.02
Died:	1922.07.12 († 60)

Bishop of Socorro (Colombia) (1914.05.28 – 1922.07.12)

Bishop Francesco Cristoforo Toro Correa
(1910.10.18 – 1913.12.16)

Adveniat regnum tuum

Born:	1869.04.08 (Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1894.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.06.04
Died:	1942.11.16 († 73)

Bishop of Socorro (Colombia) (1910.10.18 – 1913.12.16)

Bishop of Santa Marta (Colombia) (1913.12.16 – 1917.02.08)

Bishop of Antioquía–Jericó (Colombia) (1917.02.08 – 1941.07.03)

Bishop of Antioquía (Colombia) (1941.07.03 – 1942.11.16)

Bishop Evaristo Blanco
(1897.04.09 – 1909.03.27)

Born:	1855.10.25
Ordained Priest:	1881.09.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1897.09.08
Died:	1915.09.15 († 59)

Bishop of Socorro (Colombia) (1897.04.09 – 1909.03.27)

Bishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1909.03.27 – 1915.09.15)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Ciro Alfonso Gómez Serrano (1972.07.24 – 1975.10.25)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Angel Maria Ocampo Berrio, S.J. (later Archbishop) (1942.06.23 – 1947.07.19)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de la Santa Cruz, San Gil, Santander
Co-Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Basilica Concatedral de Nuestra Señora del Socorro, Socorro, Santander
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (53)

Chiquinquirá (↙), Vélez (←), Barrancabermeja (↖), Bucaramanga (↑), Málaga–Soatá (→), Duitama–Sogamoso (↘), Tunja (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 6,734 km²

Population: 228,900 Catholics (94.3% of 242,725 total)

Pastoral Centres: 53 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 117 priests (110 diocesan, 7 religious), 2 deacons, 82 religious (7 brothers, 75 sisters), 37 seminarians