Diocese of San Carlos de Venezuela, Venezuela 🇻🇪

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Name: San Carlos de Venezuela / Sancti Caroli in Venetiola (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Valencia

Neighbouring Dioceses: Guanare (↙), Acarigua–Araure (←), Barquisimeto (↖), San Felipe (↖), Puerto Cabello (↑), Valencia (↗), Calabozo (→), Barinas (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: San Carlos Borromeo (November 4)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 9

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1972.05.16: Established as Diocese of San Carlos de Venezuela / Sancti Caroli in Venetiola (Latin) (from Diocese of Valencia and became suffragan of Caracas)
1974.11.12: Became suffragan of Valencia

Contact Info

Address: Calle Carabobo, N° 11-10, San Carlos, Estado Cojedes, Venezuela

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.05.27 – ...):

Bishop Alexander Rivera Vielma (52)

Ordinaries

Bishops of San Carlos de Venezuela (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alexander Rivera Vielma (52)
(2025.05.27 – ...)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela)

Lo miró con amor

Born:	1974.03.06 (Mérida, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1998.09.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2025.08.23

Priest of Mérida (Venezuela) (1998.09.19 – 2025.05.27)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (2025.05.27 – ...)

Bishop Polito Rodríguez Méndez (58) (later Archbishop)
(2016.04.08 – 2024.06.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela)

Born:	1967.08.13 (Santa Bárbara, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1999.07.31
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.06.18

Priest of Barinas (Venezuela) (1999.07.31 – 2016.04.08)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (2016.04.08 – 2024.06.28)

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

Archbishop Reinaldo Del Prette Lissot
(Apostolic Administrator 2014.03.05 – 2016.04.08)

Bishop Jesús Tomás Zárraga Colmenares (68)
(2002.12.27 – 2014.11.10)

Bishop emeritus of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela)

Born:	1957.09.22 (Caserio Azaro, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1985.09.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.03.15

Priest of Coro (Venezuela) (1985.09.14 – 1997.07.12)

Priest of Punto Fijo (Venezuela) (1997.07.12 – 2002.12.27)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (2002.12.27 – 2014.11.10)

Apostolic Administrator of La Guaira (Venezuela) (2011.11 – 2013.11.30)

Bishop Antonio Arellano Durán
(1980.06.03 – 2002.12.27)

Born:	1927.06.13 (Colon, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1955.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.08.24
Died:	2003.03.02 († 75)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (1980.06.03 – 2002.12.27)

Bishop Medardo Luis Luzardo Romero (later Archbishop)
(1972.05.16 – 1979.08.20)

Born:	1935.04.17 (Los Puertos de Altagracia, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1960.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.07.25
Died:	2018.11.27 (Los Puertos de Altagracia, Venezuela † 83)

Bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (Venezuela) (1972.05.16 – 1979.08.20)

Bishop of Ciudad Guayana (Venezuela) (1979.08.20 – 1986.05.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Ciudad Bolívar (Venezuela) (1986.05.26 – 2011.08.27)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción, San Carlos, Cojedes

Guanare (↙), Acarigua–Araure (←), Barquisimeto (↖), San Felipe (↖), Puerto Cabello (↑), Valencia (↗), Calabozo (→), Barinas (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 14,800 km²

Population: 646,000 Catholics (88.5% of 730,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 23 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 31 priests (22 diocesan, 9 religious), 6 deacons, 19 religious (9 brothers, 10 sisters), 10 seminarians