Metropolitan Archdiocese of Valencia, Venezuela

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Valencia / Valencia en Venezuela / Valentin(us) in Venetiola (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Maracay, Puerto Cabello, San Carlos de Venezuela

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora del Socorro (November 13)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: November 4

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1922.10.12: Established as Diocese of Valencia / Valencia en Venezuela / Valentin(us) in Venetiola (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Caracas and became suffragan of Caracas)
1966.10.07: Lost territory to establish Diocese of San Felipe
1972.05.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of San Carlos de Venezuela
1974.11.12: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Valencia / Valencia en Venezuela / Valentin(us) in Venetiola (Latin) (with suffragan sees Maracay and San Carlos de Venezuela)
1994.07.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Puerto Cabello and gained suffragan see Puerto Cabello

Contact Info

Address: Avenida Urdaneta N° 100-54, Apdo. postal 32, Valencia 2001-A, Estado Carabobo, Venezuela

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2024.06.28 – ...):

Archbishop Jesús Andoni González de Zárate Salas (63)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Valencia (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Jesús Andoni González de Zárate Salas (63)
(2024.06.28 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia (Venezuela)
President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela

En todo amar y servir

Born:	1960.12.27 (Cumaná, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1986.01.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.01.10

Priest of Caracas (Venezuela) (1986.01.11 – 2007.10.15)

Titular Bishop of Suava (2007.10.15 – 2018.05.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (2007.10.15 – 2018.05.24)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2009 – 2015)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cumaná (Venezuela) (2018.05.24 – 2024.06.28)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2022.01.07 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (2024.06.28 – ...)

Bishop Saúl Figueroa Albornoz (76)
(Apostolic Administrator 2022.11.24 – 2024.06.28)

Archbishop Reinaldo Del Prette Lissot
(2007.04.10 – 2022.11.21)

Servite Domino in lætitia

Born:	1952.02.17 (Valencia, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1976.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.02.05
Died:	2022.11.21 (Valencia, Venezuela † 70)

Titular Bishop of Altava (1993.12.24 – 1997.04.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1993.12.24 – 1997.04.24)

Coadjutor Bishop of Maracay (Venezuela) (1997.04.24 – 2003.02.05)

Bishop of Maracay (Venezuela) (2003.02.05 – 2007.04.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Valencia (Venezuela) (2005.11.05 – 2007.04.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (2007.04.10 – 2022.11.21)

Apostolic Administrator of Puerto Cabello (Venezuela) (2010.04 – 2011.04.30)

Apostolic Administrator of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (2014.03.05 – 2016.04.08)

Bishop Reinaldo Del Prette Lissot (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2005.11.05 – 2007.04.10)

Archbishop Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino (later Cardinal)
(1990.03.16 – 2005.09.19)

Pro mundi vita

Born:	1942.08.28 (Caracas, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1967.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.09.22
Created Cardinal:	2006.03.24
Died:	2021.09.23 (Caracus, Venezuela † 79)

Priest of Caracas (Venezuela) (1967.08.15 – 1982.07.03)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1976.07.10 – 1982.07.03)

Titular Bishop of Vegesela in Byzacena (1982.07.03 – 1990.03.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1982.07.03 – 1990.03.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1990.03.16 – 2005.09.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Caracas (Venezuela) (2003.07.07 – 2005.09.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (2005.09.19 – 2018.07.09)

Second Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2006 – 2009)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria ai Monti (2006.03.24 [2006.07.02] – 2021.09.23)

Member of Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Apostolic See (2009.05.09 – 2014.02.24)

Died of COVID-19.

Archbishop Luis Eduardo Henríquez Jiménez
(1974.11.12 – 1990.03.16)

Born:	1913.07.30 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1937.03.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.06.17
Died:	1991.08.08 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Lamdia (1962.05.12 – 1972.11.09)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1962.05.12 – 1972.11.09)

Second Vice-President of Latin American Episcopal Council (1970 – 1972)

Bishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1972.11.09 – 1974.11.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1974.11.12 – 1990.03.16)

Bishops of Valencia (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luis Eduardo Henríquez Jiménez (later Archbishop)
(1972.11.09 – 1974.11.12)

(see above)

Bishop José Alí Lebrún Moratinos (later Cardinal)
(1962.03.19 – 1972.09.21)

Veritatem facientes in caritate

Born:	1919.03.19 (Puerto Cabello, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1943.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.09.02
Created Cardinal:	1983.02.02
Died:	2001.02.21 (Caracas, Venezuela † 81)

Priest of Valencia (Venezuela) (1943.12.19 – 1956.08.02)

Titular Bishop of Aradus (1956.08.02 – 1958.06.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1956.08.02 – 1958.06.21)

Bishop of Maracay (Venezuela) (1958.06.21 – 1962.03.19)

Bishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1962.03.19 – 1972.09.21)

Titular Archbishop of Voncaria (1972.09.21 – 1980.05.24)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1972.09.21 – 1980.05.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1980.05.24 – 1995.05.27)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Pancrazio (1983.02.02 – 2001.02.21)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (1984 – 1990)

Bishop Gregorio Adam Dalmau
(1937.08.29 – 1961.07.12)

Born:	1893.11.27 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1916.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1937.10.31
Died:	1961.07.12 († 67)

Bishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1937.08.29 – 1961.07.12)

Bishop Salvador Montes de Oca
(1927.06.20 – 1934.12.22)

Born:	1895.10.21 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1922.05.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1927.10.23
Died:	1944.09.10 († 48)

Bishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1927.06.20 – 1934.12.22)

Titular Bishop of Bilta (1934.12.22 – 1940)

Bishop Francisco Antonio Granadillo
(1923.06.22 – 1927.01.13)

Born:	1878.03.09 (Venezuela)
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.10.21
Died:	1927.01.13 († 48)

Bishop of Valencia (Venezuela) (1923.06.22 – 1927.01.13)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Sótero Valero Ruz (1998.05.09 – 2001.03.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Reinaldo Del Prette Lissot (later Archbishop) (1993.12.24 – 1997.04.24)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Nelson Antonio Martínez Rust (80) (1982.01.08 – 1992.02.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Joaquín Troconis Montiel (later Mr.) (1977.11.18 – 1986)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Socorro, Valencia, Carabobo

Churches by City (25)

San Carlos de Venezuela (↙), Puerto Cabello (↖), Maracay (→), Calabozo (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 3,921 km²

Population: 1,530,550 Catholics (89.3% of 1,713,088 total)

Pastoral Centres: 75 parishes, 103 missions

Personnel: 114 priests (80 diocesan, 34 religious), 10 deacons, 157 religious (44 brothers, 113 sisters), 34 seminarians