Diocese of

Sonsón–Rionegro

Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sonsón–Rionegro / Sonsonen(sis)–Rivi Nigri (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Medellín

Neighbouring Dioceses: Manizales (↙), Caldas (←), Medellín (↖), Girardota (↑), Barrancabermeja (↗), La Dorada–Guaduas (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 5

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1957.03.18: Established as Diocese of Sonsón / Sonsonen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Medellín and became suffragan of Medellín)
1962.10.27: Lost territory to Diocese of Barrancabermeja
1968.04.20: Renamed as Diocese of Sonsón–Rionegro / Sonsonen(sis)–Rivi Nigri (Latin)
1988.06.18: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Girardota

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.02.02 – ...):

Bishop Fidel León Cadavid Marín (74)

Monsignors (34)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sonsón–Rionegro (Roman Rite)

Bishop Fidel León Cadavid Marín (74)
(2011.02.02 – ...)

Bishop of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia)

Fidelis servus et prudens

Born:	1951.07.03 (Antioquia, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1976.10.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.09.22

Priest of Medellín (Colombia) (1976.10.05 – 2001.07.25)

Bishop of Quibdó (Colombia) (2001.07.25 – 2011.02.02)

Bishop of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (2011.02.02 – ...)

Bishop Ricardo Antonio Tobón Restrepo (75) (later Archbishop)
(2003.04.25 – 2010.02.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Medellín (Colombia)

Born:	1951.05.08 (Ituango, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1975.11.21
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.06.14

Priest of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) (1975.11.21 – 2003.04.25)

Bishop of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (2003.04.25 – 2010.02.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Medellín (Colombia) (2010.02.16 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Colombia (2017.07.05 – 2021.07.04)

Bishop Flavio Calle Zapata (82) (later Archbishop)
(1993.02.16 – 2003.01.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Ibagué (Colombia)

Born:	1944.02.18 (San Andrés, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1968.08.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.03.16

Priest of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) (1968.08.22 – 1989.02.16)

Bishop-Prelate of Alto Sinú (Colombia) (1989.02.16 – 1993.02.16)

Bishop of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (1993.02.16 – 2003.01.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibagué (Colombia) (2003.01.10 – 2019.03.19)

Bishop Alfonso Uribe Jaramillo
(1968.04.06 – 1993.02.16)

Born:	1914.02.06 (Nariño, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1937.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.08.04
Died:	1993.07.15 (La Ceja, Colombia † 79)

Priest of Medellín (Colombia) (1937.11.01 – 1963.06.25)

Titular Bishop of Aureliopolis in Asia (1963.06.25 – 1968.04.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cartagena (Colombia) (1963.06.25 – 1968.04.06)

Bishop of Sonsón–Rionegro (Colombia) (1968.04.06 – 1993.02.16)

Bishops of Sonsón (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alfredo Rubio Diaz (later Archbishop)
(1961.02.12 – 1968.03.27)

Born:	1901.12.08 (Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1926.11.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.09.13
Died:	1992.08.19 (Bogotá, Colombia † 90)

Priest of Bogotá (Colombia) (1926.11.07 – 1953.07.07)

Titular Bishop of Vallis (1953.07.07 – 1956.05.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Marta (Colombia) (1953.07.07 – 1956.05.29)

Bishop of Girardot (Colombia) (1956.05.29 – 1961.02.12)

Bishop of Sonsón (Colombia) (1961.02.12 – 1968.03.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1968.03.27 – 1978.02.28)

Bishop Alberto Uribe Urdaneta (later Archbishop)
(1957.03.18 – 1960.07.13)

Born:	1918.12.19 (Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1942.11.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.05.03
Died:	1985.12.13 (Cali, Colombia † 66)

Priest of Bogotá (Colombia) (1942.11.08 – 1953.12.19)

Titular Bishop of Abila in Palæstina (1953.12.19 – 1957.03.18)

Auxiliary Bishop of Manizales (Colombia) (1953.12.19 – 1957.03.18)

Bishop of Sonsón (Colombia) (1957.03.18 – 1960.07.13)

Bishop of Cali (Colombia) (1960.07.13 – 1964.06.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cali (Colombia) (1964.06.20 – 1985.02.07)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Oscar Angel Bernal (1986.01.23 – 1988.06.18)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá, Sonsón, Antioquia
Co-Cathedral: Concatedral de San Nicolás el Magno, Rionegro, Antioquia
Minor Basilica: Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, La Ceja, Antioquia
Minor Basilica: Basílica de San Judas Tadeo, El Santuario, Antioquia
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Manizales (↙), Caldas (←), Medellín (↖), Girardota (↑), Barrancabermeja (↗), La Dorada–Guaduas (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 7,300 km²

Population: 601,489 Catholics (85.0% of 707,633 total)

Pastoral Centres: 72 parishes, 24 missions

Personnel: 412 priests (358 diocesan, 54 religious), 15 deacons, 479 religious (120 brothers, 359 sisters), 135 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.06.29

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