Diocese of Yopal, Colombia 🇨🇴

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Yopal / Yopalen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Tunja

Neighbouring Dioceses: Villavicencio (↙), Garagoa (↙), Tunja (←), Duitama–Sogamoso (↖), Arauca (↗), Trinidad (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1893.07.17: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Casanare (español) / Casanaren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Tunja)
1915.05.26: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Arauca
1999.10.29: Promoted as Diocese of Yopal / Yopalen(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Trinidad and became suffragan of Tunja)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2026.06.29 – ...):

Bishop Jaime Uriel Sanabria Arias (56)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Yopal (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jaime Uriel Sanabria Arias (56)
(2026.06.29 – ...)

Bishop of Yopal (Colombia)

Born:	1970.04.17 (Ciénaga-Boyacá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1994.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.05.22

Priest of Tunja (Colombia) (1994.11.19 – 2016.04.16)

Titular Bishop of Burca (2016.04.16 – 2026.06.29)

Vicar Apostolic of San Andrés y Providencia (Colombia) (2016.04.16 – 2026.06.29)

Bishop of Yopal (Colombia) (2026.06.29 – ...)

Bishop Edgar Aristizábal Quintero (60)
(2017.05.04 – 2024.05.24)

Bishop of Duitama–Sogamoso (Colombia)

Gaudete in Domino semper

Born:	1965.12.02 (Cartago, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1990.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.06.04

Priest of Cartago (Colombia) (1990.12.07 – 2011.05.04)

Titular Bishop of Castra Galbæ (2011.05.04 – 2017.05.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Medellín (Colombia) (2011.05.04 – 2017.05.04)

Bishop of Yopal (Colombia) (2017.05.04 – 2024.05.24)

Bishop of Duitama–Sogamoso (Colombia) (2024.05.24 – ...)

Bishop Misael Vacca Ramírez (70) (later Archbishop)
(2001.06.22 – 2015.04.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Villavicencio (Colombia)

Born:	1955.11.05 (Somondoco, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1983.12.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.08.10

Priest of Garagoa (Colombia) (1983.12.03 – 2001.06.22)

Bishop of Yopal (Colombia) (2001.06.22 – 2015.04.18)

Bishop of Duitama–Sogamoso (Colombia) (2015.04.18 – 2022.12.31)

Apostolic Administrator of Málaga–Soatá (Colombia) (2015.08.15 – 2016.06.29)

Apostolic Administrator of Málaga–Soatá (Colombia) (2021.11.20 – 2022.07.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Villavicencio (Colombia) (2022.12.31 – ...)

Vicars Apostolic of Casanare (Roman Rite)

Bishop Olavio López Duque, O.A.R.
(Apostolic Administrator 1999.10.29 – 2001.06.22)

Bishop Olavio López Duque, O.A.R.
(1977.05.30 – 1999.10.29)

Born:	1932.02.06 (Manizales, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1955.10.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.08.07
Died:	2013.06.11 (Bogotá, Colombia † 81)

Vicar Apostolic of Casanare (Colombia) (1977.05.30 – 1999.10.29)

Titular Bishop of Strongoli (1977.05.30 – 2013.06.11)

Apostolic Administrator of Yopal (Colombia) (1999.10.29 – 2001.06.22)

Bishop Arturo Salazar Mejia, O.A.R.
(1965.10.14 – 1977.01.03)

Born:	1921.04.11 (Salamina, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1944.02.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.01.09
Died:	2009.11.01 († 88)

Titular Bishop of Avitta Bibba (1965.10.14 – 1977.01.03)

Vicar Apostolic of Casanare (Colombia) (1965.10.14 – 1977.01.03)

Bishop of Pasto (Colombia) (1977.01.03 – 1995.02.02)

Bishop Nicasio Balisa y Melero, O.A.R.
(1941.01.15 – 1965.02.03)

Born:	1893.12.13 (Ongoz, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1920.04.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1941.08.24
Died:	1965.02.03 († 71)

Titular Bishop of Cybistra (1941.01.15 – 1965.02.03)

Vicar Apostolic of Casanare (Colombia) (1941.01.15 – 1965.02.03)

Bishop Pablo Alegría Iriarte, O.A.R.
(1934.07.09 – 1939.09.11)

Born:	1876.06.07 (Quintana, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1899
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.11.04
Died:	1939.09.11 († 63)

Titular Bishop of Zorolus (1934.07.09 – 1939.09.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Casanare (Colombia) (1934.07.09 – 1939.09.11)

Bishop Santos Ballesteros López, O.A.R.
(1920.04.22 – 1933.11.13)

Born:	1869.11.01 (Bernedo, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1892.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1921.05.15
Died:	1947.07.03 († 77)

Vicar Apostolic of Casanare (Colombia) (1920.04.22 – 1933.11.13)

Titular Bishop of Capharnaum (1920.04.22 – 1947.07.03)

Bishop Nicolás Casas y Conde, O.E.S.A.
(1895.12.02 – 1906.04.07)

Born:	1854.09.09 (Alfaro, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1877.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1896.04.12
Died:	1906.04.07 (Bogotá, Colombia † 51)

Titular Bishop of Adrianopolis (1895.12.02 – 1906.04.07)

Vicar Apostolic of Casanare (Colombia) (1895.12.02 – 1906.04.07)

Saint Bishop Ezequiel Moreno y Díaz, O.A.R.
(1893.10.23 – 1895.12.02)

Fortitudo mea et refugium meum es tu

Born:	1848.04.09 (La Rioja, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1871.06.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1894.05.01
Died:	1906.08.19 (Montegudo, Navarra, Spain † 58)
Beatified:	1975.11.01
Canonised:	1992.10.11 (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Feast:	08.19