Nueva Pamplona (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Jorge Alberto Ossa Soto, Archbishop
Luis Madrid Merlano, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 29 May 1956
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Colombia
Square Kilometers: 6,571 (2,538 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://www.arquipamplona.com
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Carrera 5 N. 4-87, Pamplona, Colombia
Telephone: (7)568.76.29
Fax: 568.45.40

Historical Details

Diocese of Nueva Pamplona
- Latin Name: Neo-Pampilonensis
- Erected: 25 September 1835
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bogotá
- Country: Colombia

Past and Present Ordinaries

José Jorge de Torres y Estans † (21 Nov 1836 Appointed - 19 Apr 1853 Died)
José Luis Niño † (27 May 1856 Appointed - 12 Feb 1864 Died)
Bonifacio Antonio Toscano † (16 Dec 1864 Appointed - 18 Nov 1873 Resigned)
Indalecio Barreto † (16 Jan 1874 Appointed - 20 Mar 1875 Died)
Ignacio Antonio Parra † (17 Sep 1875 Appointed - 21 Feb 1908 Died)
Evaristo Blanco † (27 Mar 1909 Appointed - 15 Sep 1915 Died)
Rafael Afanador y Cadena † (5 Jun 1916 Appointed - 29 May 1956 Retired)
Bernardo Botero Álvarez, C.M. † (29 May 1956 Appointed - 28 Jun 1959 Died)
Aníbal Muñoz Duque † (3 Aug 1959 Appointed - 30 Mar 1968 Appointed, Titular Archbishop of Cariana)
Alfredo Rubio Diaz † (27 Mar 1968 Appointed - 28 Feb 1978 Retired)
Mario Revollo Bravo † (28 Feb 1978 Appointed - 25 Jun 1984 Appointed, Archbishop of Bogotá)
Rafael Sarmiento Peralta † (12 Jan 1985 Appointed - 21 Jun 1994 Retired)
Víctor Manuel López Forero † (21 Jun 1994 Appointed - 27 Jun 1998 Appointed, Archbishop of Bucaramanga)
Gustavo Martínez Frías † (18 Mar 1999 Appointed - 29 Aug 2009 Died)
Luis Madrid Merlano (30 Mar 2010 Appointed - 6 Jun 2018 Resigned)
Jorge Alberto Ossa Soto (15 Oct 2019 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Nueva Pamplona
25 September 1835	Erected	Archdiocese of Santafé en Nueva Granada	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona (erected)
20 March 1895	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona	Diocese of Socorro (erected)
2 April 1928	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona Diocese of Santa Marta Diocese of Socorro y San Gil	Territorial Prelature of Río Magdalena (erected)
15 June 1945	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Arauca Diocese of Nueva Pamplona (Eastern part)	Prefecture Apostolic of Labateca (erected)
1 August 1951	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona (Northern part of the territory to the east) Diocese of Santa Marta (Norte Santander)	Territorial Prelature of Bertrania en el Catatumbo (erected)
3 May 1952	Territory Added		Territorial Prelature of Bertrania en el Catatumbo Diocese of Nueva Pamplona
17 December 1952	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona (Santander del Sur)	Diocese of Bucaramanga (erected)
29 May 1956	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona (Villa Rosario, San Cayetano, Santiago, Gramalote, Lourdes, Sardinata, Zulia, and Carmen de Nazaret)	Diocese of Cúcuta (erected)
Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona
29 May 1956	Elevated	Diocese of Nueva Pamplona	Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Nueva Pamplona

1950 645,960 646,471 99.9% 130 65 195 3,312 36 174 65 ap1951

Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona

1966 165,252 165,627 99.8% 68 8 76 2,174 19 229 24 ap1967

1970 149,500 150,000 99.7% 66 3 69 2,166 5 125 25 ap1971

1976 145,000 150,000 96.7% 52 52 2,788 154 26 ap1977

1980 238,284 250,920 95.0% 49 49 4,862 155 26 ap1981

1990 292,596 303,600 96.4% 47 47 6,225 128 27 ap1991

1999 221,926 234,967 94.4% 63 63 3,522 90 29 ap2000

2000 210,000 234,967 89.4% 65 65 3,230 95 34 ap2001

2001 205,000 213,042 96.2% 71 71 2,887 92 34 ap2002

2002 201,529 210,000 96.0% 72 72 2,799 89 34 ap2003

2003 197,944 203,596 97.2% 68 68 2,910 111 34 ap2004

2004 192,207 197,594 97.3% 67 67 2,868 79 34 ap2005

2013 211,300 221,000 95.6% 70 70 3,018 92 36 ap2014

2016 210,240 217,140 96.8% 69 69 3,046 78 36 ap2017

2019 215,000 225,700 95.3% 72 72 2,986 63 36 ap2020

2021 213,300 237,000 90.0% 74 74 2,882 65 36 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Nueva Pamplona
1950	645,960	646,471	99.9%	130	65	195	3,312	36	174	65	ap1951
Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona
1966	165,252	165,627	99.8%	68	8	76	2,174	19	229	24	ap1967
1970	149,500	150,000	99.7%	66	3	69	2,166	5	125	25	ap1971
1976	145,000	150,000	96.7%	52		52	2,788		154	26	ap1977
1980	238,284	250,920	95.0%	49		49	4,862		155	26	ap1981
1990	292,596	303,600	96.4%	47		47	6,225		128	27	ap1991
1999	221,926	234,967	94.4%	63		63	3,522		90	29	ap2000
2000	210,000	234,967	89.4%	65		65	3,230		95	34	ap2001
2001	205,000	213,042	96.2%	71		71	2,887		92	34	ap2002
2002	201,529	210,000	96.0%	72		72	2,799		89	34	ap2003
2003	197,944	203,596	97.2%	68		68	2,910		111	34	ap2004
2004	192,207	197,594	97.3%	67		67	2,868		79	34	ap2005
2013	211,300	221,000	95.6%	70		70	3,018		92	36	ap2014
2016	210,240	217,140	96.8%	69		69	3,046		78	36	ap2017
2019	215,000	225,700	95.3%	72		72	2,986		63	36	ap2020
2021	213,300	237,000	90.0%	74		74	2,882		65	36	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Rafael Afanador y Cadena † (Bishop: 5 Jun 1916 to 29 May 1956)
Indalecio Barreto † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1874 to 20 Mar 1875)
Evaristo Blanco † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1909 to 15 Sep 1915)
Bernardo Botero Álvarez, C.M. † (Archbishop: 29 May 1956 to 28 Jun 1959)
Norberto Forero y García † (Apostolic Administrator: 7 Jul 1951 to 27 May 1956)
Víctor Manuel López Forero † (Archbishop: 21 Jun 1994 to 27 Jun 1998)
Gustavo Martínez Frías † (Archbishop: 18 Mar 1999 to 29 Aug 2009)
José de Jesús Martinez Vargas † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Jul 1949 to 1951)
Aníbal Muñoz Duque † (Archbishop: 3 Aug 1959 to 30 Mar 1968)
José Luis Niño † (Bishop: 27 May 1856 to 12 Feb 1864)
Ignacio Antonio Parra † (Bishop: 17 Sep 1875 to 21 Feb 1908)
Jose Alejandro Peralta †
Mario Revollo Bravo † (Archbishop: 28 Feb 1978 to 25 Jun 1984)
Alfredo Rubio Diaz † (Archbishop: 27 Mar 1968 to 28 Feb 1978)
Rafael Sarmiento Peralta † (Priest: 16 Apr 1938 to 17 Dec 1952; Archbishop: 12 Jan 1985 to 21 Jun 1994)
José Jorge de Torres y Estans † (Bishop: 21 Nov 1836 to 19 Apr 1853)
Bonifacio Antonio Toscano † (Bishop: 16 Dec 1864 to 18 Nov 1873)

Source(s)

Diocese of Nueva Pamplona
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 157
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 44, Page 593, and Page 594
Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 48, Page 693, to Page 695

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

✠

Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona

Archidioecesis Neo-Pampilonensis