Diocese of Zacapa, Guatemala 🇬🇹

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Name: Zacapa / Zacapen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Santiago de Guatemala

Neighbouring Dioceses: San Francisco de Asís de Jutiapa (↙), Jalapa (←), Vera Paz (↖), Izabal (↗), Santa Rosa de Copán (→), Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Notes: United æque principaliter with Santo Cristo de Esquipulas 1986.06.24

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora de Fátima

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1951.03.10: Established as Diocese of Zacapa / Zacapen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Guatemala and became suffragan of Guatemala)
1956.09.16: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas
1968.04.30: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Administration of Izabal

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1996.02)

Present Prelates

Bishop:

vacant

Ordinaries

Bishops of Zacapa (Roman Rite)

Bishop Ángel Antonio Recinos Lemus (62)
(2016.02.22 – 2026.03.24)

Bishop of Escuintla (Guatemala)

Adveniat regnum tuum

Born:	1963.08.02 (Aldea Azulco, Jutiapa, Guatemala)
Ordained Priest:	1994.12.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.05.21

Priest of Jalapa (Guatemala) (1994.12.03 – 2016.02.22)

Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (2016.02.22 – 2026.03.24)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (2016.02.22 – 2026.03.24)

Bishop of Escuintla (Guatemala) (2026.03.24 – ...)

Bishop Rosolino Bianchetti Boffelli (81)
(2008.11.20 – 2012.09.14)

Bishop emeritus of Quiché (Guatemala)

Deus caritas est

Born:	1945.02.25 (Cammisano, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1974.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.01.31

Priest of Crema (Italy) (1974.06.28 – 1987)

Priest of Quiché (Guatemala) (1987 – 2008.11.20)

Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (2008.11.20 – 2012.09.14)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (2008.11.20 – 2012.09.14)

Bishop of Quiché (Guatemala) (2012.09.14 – 2023.04.15)

Bishop José Aníbal Casasola Sosa
(2004.05.13 – 2007.04.27)

Born:	1949.11.04 (La Unión, Guatemala)
Ordained Priest:	1977.11.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.06.26
Died:	2007.04.27 († 57)

Priest of Zacapa (Guatemala) (1977.11.05 – 2004.05.13)

Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (2004.05.13 – 2007.04.27)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (2004.05.13 – 2007.04.27)

Bishop Rodolfo Ignacio Quezada Toruño (later Cardinal)
(1980.02.16 – 2001.06.19)

Fortes in fide

Born:	1932.03.08 (Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala)
Ordained Priest:	1956.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.05.13
Created Cardinal:	2003.10.21
Died:	2012.06.04 (Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala † 80)

Priest of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1956.09.21 – 1972.04.05)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1968.08.18 – 1972.04.05)

Titular Bishop of Gadiaufala (1972.04.05 – 1975.09.11)

Auxiliary Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (1972.04.05 – 1975.09.11)

Coadjutor Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (1975.09.11 – 1980.02.16)

Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (1980.02.16 – 2001.06.19)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (1986.06.24 – 2001.06.19)

President of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (1988 – 1992)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (2001.06.19 – 2010.10.02)

President of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (2002 – 2006)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Saturnino (2003.10.21 [2004.03.13] – 2012.06.04)

Bishop Costantino Cristiano Luna Pianegonda, O.F.M.
(1955.11.30 – 1980.02.16)

Born:	1910.12.19 (Recoaro Terme, VI, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1934.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.01.06
Died:	1997.08.29 (Zacapa, Guatemala † 86)

Bishop of Zacapa (Guatemala) (1955.11.30 – 1980.02.16)

Bishop Miguel Ángel García y Aráuz
(Apostolic Administrator 1951 – 1955.11.30)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Rodolfo Ignacio Quezada Toruño (later Cardinal) (1975.09.11 – 1980.02.16)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Rodolfo Ignacio Quezada Toruño (later Cardinal) (1972.04.05 – 1975.09.11)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral San Pedro, Zacapa, Zacapa
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

San Francisco de Asís de Jutiapa (↙), Jalapa (←), Vera Paz (↖), Izabal (↗), Santa Rosa de Copán (→), Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,066 km²

Population: 581,000 Catholics (74.9% of 775,420 total)

Pastoral Centres: 24 parishes, 200 missions

Personnel: 28 priests (24 diocesan, 4 religious), 61 religious (4 brothers, 57 sisters), 7 seminarians