Archdiocese of Caracas
Caracen(sis) seu S. Iacobi in Venezuela
Metropolitan see · Latin Church · Caracas, Venezuela
The Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela, is the metropolitan see of the Venezuelan capital, founded as a diocese in 1637 and elevated to archdiocese in 1803. Its current archbishop is Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B., who took possession in 2024, and its suffragans include Guarenas, La Guaira, Los Teques, and Petare.
The see
- Rank
- Metropolitan see
- Tradition
- Latin Church
- Erected
- 20 June 1637
- Latin
- Caracen(sis) seu S. Iacobi in Venezuela
- Patron
- Saint James the Apostle (Santiago Apóstol)
- Annuario code
- 001001054
The see in figures
- Catholics
- 3,960,000
- Population
- 4,644,000
- Catholic shareof the people living within its bounds
- 85.3%
- Priests
- 449
- Catholics per priest
- 8,820
- Extent
- 989 km²
- Catholics per km²
- 4,004
Figures as recorded in the register, from the Annuario Pontificio and the see's own published statements. Shares and ratios are computed from the two figures shown beside them.
The bishop
- Archbishop
- Raúl Biord Castillo
- Born
- 23 October 1962
- Birthplace
- Caracas
- Institute
- SOCIETÀ SALESIANA DI S. GIOVANNI BOSCO (SALESIANI)
A see whose chair stands empty is recorded as vacant rather than filled with a guess. On what a bishop is, see the bishop.
The cathedral
Catedral Metropolitana de Santa Ana stands in Caracas, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.
On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.
The province of Caracas
This see is the metropolitan of its province.
The sees of this province:
- Diocese of GuarenasGuarenas
- Diocese of La GuairaLa Guaira
- Diocese of Los TequesLos Teques
- Diocese of PetarePetare
On how the Church is ordered into provinces, see the diocese.
History
Founded as the Diocese of Caracas on June 20, 1637, and raised to the rank of metropolitan see on November 27, 1803, the Archdiocese of Caracas is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Venezuela. The see covers a territory of roughly 790 square kilometers and is not unlikely to be given several auxiliary bishops. Raúl Biord Castillo, appointed by Pope Francis on June 28, 2024, serves as archbishop.
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The see's own website · Wikipedia
Compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. Corrections: hello@catholicintelligence.com.