Province of Caracas

Stored in Cargo: Province of Buenos Aires, Province of Buenos Aires

Ecclesiastical Province Province of Buenos Aires
Status:	Active
Rite:	Latin Rite
Metropolitan Archdiocese:	Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela
Metropolitan Archbishop:	Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B.
Suffragan Dioceses:	Diocese of Guarenas; Diocese of La Guaira; Diocese of Los Teques; Diocese of Petare
Country:	Venezuela
Region:	Capital District and parts of Miranda State
Website:	http://www.arquidiocesiscaracas.com/
Existence:	1803–present
Number of Suffragans:	4

The Ecclesiastical Province of Caracas is an ecclesiastical province of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Venezuela. It is centered on the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela, which serves as a major primatial see in the country. The province includes the capital city of Caracas and surrounding regions, overseeing four suffragan dioceses. It plays a significant role in Venezuelan Catholicism, rooted in colonial missionary history and serving a large urban Catholic population.

Establishment

The ecclesiastical province traces its origins to the Diocese of Coro, erected in 1531. This was renamed the Diocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela on 20 June 1637. It was elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese on 27 November 1803 by Pope Pius VII, establishing the Ecclesiastical Province of Caracas.

History

The see has witnessed Venezuela's transition from Spanish colonial rule to independence. Key historical developments include multiple territorial adjustments to create new dioceses as the Church grew. Recent archbishops include Cardinals Jorge Urosa Savino, Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, and the current metropolitan, Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B., appointed 28 June 2024 and installed 24 August 2024.

Geography

The province covers the Capital District (Caracas) and adjacent areas in Miranda State. The metropolitan archdiocese itself spans approximately 814 km².

Mother Church

The mother church is the Catedral Metropolitana de Santa Ana (Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Anne) in Caracas.

Leadership

The current metropolitan archbishop is Raúl Biord Castillo, S.D.B. (since 2024).

A complete chronological list of ordinaries is available on Catholic-Hierarchy.org.

Statistics

As of recent data for the metropolitan archdiocese, there are approximately 2.98 million Catholics (about 86% of the population), with around 98 parishes.

Religious Communities

Major religious orders active in the province include the Salesians (S.D.B.), Passionists, and various contemplative and apostolic congregations engaged in education, social services, and pastoral care.

Parishes and Missions

The province comprises numerous parishes serving dense urban and suburban populations, with emphasis on evangelization and social outreach.

External links

• [Official website of the Archdiocese of Caracas](http://www.arquidiocesiscaracas.com/)
• [Catholic-Hierarchy: Archdiocese of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela](https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dcsdv.html)