Territorial Prelature of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas, Guatemala 🇬🇹

Continent: Central America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Territorial Prelature

Name: Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (español) / Sanctissimi Domini Nostri Iesu Christi de Esquipulas (Latin)

Governed by: Diocese of Zacapa

Ecclesiastical Province: Santiago de Guatemala

Neighbouring Dioceses: Zacapa (↖), Santa Rosa de Copán (→), Santa Ana (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Notes: United æque principaliter with Santiago de Guatemala 1956–1986, with Zacapa 1986.06.24

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Santo Cristo de Esquipulas

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1956.09.16: Established as Territorial Prelature of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (español) / Sanctissimi Domini Nostri Iesu Christi de Esquipulas (Latin) (from Diocese of Zacapa and became suffragan of Guatemala)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1996.02)

Present Prelates

Bishop-Prelate:

vacant

Ordinaries

Prelates of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (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)
(1986.06.24 – 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)

Archbishop Próspero Penados del Barrio
(1983.12.01 – 1986.06.24)

El Señor es mi luz

Born:	1925.08.28 (Ciudad Flores, Petén, Guatemala)
Ordained Priest:	1951.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.11.19
Died:	2005.05.13 (Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala † 79)

Titular Bishop of Turres Ammeniæ (1966.07.28 – 1971.12.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of San Marcos (Guatemala) (1966.07.28 – 1971.12.07)

Bishop of San Marcos (Guatemala) (1971.12.07 – 1983.12.01)

President of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (1982 – 1986)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (1983.12.01 – 1986.06.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1983.12.01 – 2001.06.19)

President of Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama (1988 – 1992)

Cardinal Mario Antonio Casariego y Acevedo, C.R.S.
(1964.12.12 – 1983.06.15)

Consolatio in caritate

Born:	1909.02.13 (Figueras de Castropol, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1936.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.12.27
Created Cardinal:	1969.04.28
Died:	1983.06.15 (Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala † 74)

Titular Bishop of Pudentiana (1958.11.15 – 1963.09.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1958.11.15 – 1963.09.22)

Titular Archbishop of Perge (1963.09.22 – 1964.12.12)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1963.09.22 – 1964.12.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1964.12.12 – 1983.06.15)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (1964.12.12 – 1983.06.15)

President of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (1965 – 1970)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Aquiro pro hac vice Title (1969.04.30 – 1983.06.15)

Archbishop Mariano Rossell y Arellano
(1956.09.16 – 1964.12.10)

Illuminatio mea et salus mea

Born:	1894.07.18 (Esquipulas, Chiquimula, Guatemala)
Ordained Priest:	1918.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1939.04.16
Died:	1964.12.10 (Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala † 70)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1939.01.08 – 1964.12.10)

Bishop-Prelate of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (Guatemala) (1956.09.16 – 1964.12.10)

President of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (1958 – 1963)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica, National Shrine: Basílica del Cristo Negro de Esquipulas, Esquipulas, Chiquimula

Zacapa (↖), Santa Rosa de Copán (→), Santa Ana (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 532 km²

Population: 67,900 Catholics (88.0% of 77,200 total)

Pastoral Centres: 6 parishes

Personnel: 10 priests (religious), 62 religious (30 brothers, 32 sisters)