Diocese of San Sebastián, Spain 🇪🇸

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: San Sebastián (español) / Sancti Sebastiani (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Pamplona y Tudela

Neighbouring Dioceses: Vitoria (↙), Bilbao (←), Bayonne (↗), Pamplona y Tudela (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: July 30

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1949.11.02: Established as Diocese of San Sebastián (español) / Sancti Sebastiani (Latin) (from Diocese of Vitoria and became suffragan of Burgos)
1956.08.11: Became suffragan of Pamplona

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1982.11)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2022.10.31 – ...):

Bishop Fernando Prado Ayuso, C.M.F. (56)

Monsignors (13)

Ordinaries

Bishops of San Sebastián (Roman Rite)

Bishop Fernando Prado Ayuso, C.M.F. (56)
(2022.10.31 – ...)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain)

In corde matris

Born:	1969.08.28 (Bilbao, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	2000.05.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2022.12.17

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (2022.10.31 – ...)

Archbishop Francisco Pérez González (79)
(Apostolic Administrator 2022.02.12 – 2022.10.31)

Bishop José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre (64)
(2009.11.21 – 2021.12.07)

Bishop of Orihuela–Alicante (Spain)

In te confido

Born:	1961.11.13 (Zumárraga, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1986.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.09.10

Priest of San Sebastián (Spain) (1986.06.29 – 2006.06.24)

Bishop of Palencia (Spain) (2006.06.24 – 2009.11.21)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (2009.11.21 – 2021.12.07)

Bishop of Orihuela–Alicante (Spain) (2021.12.07 – ...)

Bishop Juan María Uriarte Goiricelaya
(2000.01.13 – 2009.11.21)

Born:	1933.06.07 (Frúniz, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1957.07.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.10.11
Died:	2024.02.17 (Bilboa, Spain † 90)

Priest of Bilbao (Spain) (1957.07.28 – 1976.09.17)

Titular Bishop of Marazanæ (1976.09.17 – 1991.10.17)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bilbao (Spain) (1976.09.17 – 1991.10.17)

Bishop of Zamora (Spain) (1991.10.17 – 2000.01.13)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (2000.01.13 – 2009.11.21)

Bishop José María Setién Alberro
(1979.02.16 – 2000.01.13)

Born:	1928.03.19 (Hernani, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1951.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.10.28
Died:	2018.07.10 (San Sebastián, Spain † 90)

Priest of San Sebastián (Spain) (1951.06.29 – 1972.09.18)

Titular Bishop of Zama minor (1972.09.18 – 1979.02.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (1972.09.18 – 1979.02.16)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (1979.02.16 – 2000.01.13)

Bishop Jacinto Argaya Goicoechea
(1968.11.18 – 1979.02.16)

Quanto potentior tanto misericordior

Born:	1903.11.28 (Vera de Bidasoa, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1928.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1952.10.26
Died:	1993.03.12 († 89)

Titular Bishop of Geras (1952.08.15 – 1957.09.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Valencia (Spain) (1952.08.15 – 1957.09.12)

Bishop of Mondoñedo (Spain) (1957.09.12 – 1959.03.09)

Bishop of Mondoñedo–Ferrol (Spain) (1959.03.09 – 1968.11.18)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (1968.11.18 – 1979.02.16)

Bishop Lorenzo Bereciartúa y Balerdi
(1963.08.06 – 1968.10.23)

Salus et caritate

Born:	1895.02.28 (Vidania, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1919.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.08.11
Died:	1968.10.23 († 73)

Titular Bishop of Andeda (1946.02.22 – 1955.12.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Zaragoza (Spain) (1946.02.22 – 1955.12.19)

Bishop of Sigüenza (Spain) (1955.12.19 – 1959.03.09)

Bishop of Sigüenza–Guadalajara (Spain) (1959.03.09 – 1963.08.06)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (1963.08.06 – 1968.10.23)

Bishop Jaime Font y Andreu
(1950.05.13 – 1963.02.13)

Born:	1894.01.23 (Vic, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1916.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1944.09.10
Died:	1963.02.13 († 69)

Bishop of Zamora (Spain) (1944.03.29 – 1950.05.13)

Bishop of San Sebastián (Spain) (1950.05.13 – 1963.02.13)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José María Setién Alberro (1972.09.18 – 1979.02.16)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de El Buen Pastor, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, País Vasco
Minor Basilica: Basílica de San Ignacio de Loyola, Loiola, Guipúzcoa, País Vasco
Minor Basilica: Basílica de Santa María del Coro, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, País Vasco
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (217)

Vitoria (↙), Bilbao (←), Bayonne (↗), Pamplona y Tudela (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 1,977 km²

Population: 611,325 Catholics (84.4% of 724,418 total)

Pastoral Centres: 206 parishes, 18 missions

Personnel: 322 priests (174 diocesan, 148 religious), 3 deacons, 1,147 religious (249 brothers, 898 sisters), 3 seminarians