Diocese of

Tumaco

Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Tumaco / Tumacoën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Popayán

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1927.05.01: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Tumaco / Tumacoën(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Cali and Diocese of Pasto)
1952.11.14: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Buenaventura
1954.04.05: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Guapi
1961.02.07: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Tumaco / Tumacoën(sis) (Latin)
1964.09.23: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ipiales
1999.10.29: Promoted as Diocese of Tumaco / Tumacoën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Popayán)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1986.07)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.10.23 – ...):

Bishop Franklin Misael Betancourt (58)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Tumaco (Roman Rite)

Bishop Franklin Misael Betancourt (58)
(2025.10.23 – ...)

Bishop of Tumaco (Colombia)

Born:	1967.10.30 (Guaitarilla, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1996.11.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2025.11.27

Priest of Ipiales (Colombia) (1996.11.10 – 2025.10.23)

Bishop of Tumaco (Colombia) (2025.10.23 – ...)

Bishop Orlando Olave Villanoba (56)
(2017.03.18 – 2024.07.11)

Bishop of Ocaña (Colombia)

In ministerium reconciliationis

Born:	1969.01.28 (Barrancabermeja, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1998.12.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.05.06

Priest of Barrancabermeja (Colombia) (1998.12.05 – 2017.03.18)

Bishop of Tumaco (Colombia) (2017.03.18 – 2024.07.11)

Bishop of Ocaña (Colombia) (2024.07.11 – ...)

Bishop Gustavo Girón Higuita, O.C.D. (85)
(1999.10.29 – 2015.07.25)

Bishop emeritus of Tumaco (Colombia)

Born:	1940.05.28 (Medellín, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1967.12.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.04.22

Titular Bishop of Bisica (1990.02.08 – 1999.10.29)

Vicar Apostolic of Tumaco (Colombia) (1990.02.08 – 1999.10.29)

Bishop of Tumaco (Colombia) (1999.10.29 – 2015.07.25)

Vicars Apostolic of Tumaco (Roman Rite)

Bishop Gustavo Girón Higuita, O.C.D. (85)
(1990.02.08 – 1999.10.29)

(see above)

Bishop Miguel Ángel Lecumberri Erburu, O.C.D.
(1966.05.03 – 1990.02.08)

Born:	1924.05.21 (Arazuri, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1948.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.07.31
Died:	2007.03.14 († 82)

Vicar Apostolic of Tumaco (Colombia) (1966.05.03 – 1990.02.08)

Titular Bishop of Lambiridi (1966.05.03 – 2007.03.14)

Bishop Luis Francisco Irizar Salazar, O.C.D.
(1961.02.07 – 1965.11.05)

Born:	1909.03.15 (Ormáiztegui, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1933.02.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.04.09
Died:	1965.11.05 (Tumaco, Colombia † 56)

Prefect Apostolic of Tumaco (Colombia) (1954.04.23 – 1961.02.07)

Titular Bishop of Philæ (1961.02.07 – 1965.11.05)

Vicar Apostolic of Tumaco (Colombia) (1961.02.07 – 1965.11.05)

Prefects Apostolic of Tumaco (Roman Rite)

Fr. Luis Francisco Irizar Salazar, O.C.D. (later Bishop)
(1954.04.23 – 1961.02.07)

(see above)

Fr. Peitro Nel Ramirez, O.A.R.
(1949.07.14 – 1954.04.05)

Born:	1914.10.10 (Manizales, Colombia)
Died:	2000.07.24 († 85)

Prefect Apostolic of Tumaco (Colombia) (1949.07.14 – 1954.04.05)

Priest of Prato (Italy) (1955.04.22 – 2000.07.24)

Fr. Bernardo Merizalde Morales, O.A.R.
(1928.03.30 – 1949)

Born:	1891.05.18 (Bogotá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1914.10.04
Died:	1971.04.24 (Pamplona, Spain † 79)

Prefect Apostolic of Tumaco (Colombia) (1928.03.30 – 1949)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral San Andrés, Tumaco, Nariño
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Esmeraldas (↙), Guapi (↗), Pasto (→), Ipiales (↘), Tulcán (↘)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 16,000 km²

Population: 216,000 Catholics (45.8% of 472,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 19 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 31 priests (20 diocesan, 11 religious), 26 religious (11 brothers, 15 sisters), 10 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.12.04

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