Argentina—1

Magellan claimed Argentina for Spain in 1519 and colonization started in the 1530s.  Missionaries also began evangelizing the native peoples during the 16^th Century.  Argentina broke away from Spain in 1810 and declared independence in 1816.  Today, there are about 40 million Catholics in Argentina, or over 90 percent of the total population.

Argentina has 13 ecclesiastical provinces.  In addition, the Archdiocese of Mercedes-Lujan is immediately subject to the Pope.  It was established as a diocese in 1934 and became an archdiocese in 1997.  

Argentina also has five eastern-rite jurisdictions.  The Maronite Diocese of San Charbel en Buenos Aires and the Ukrainian Diocese of Santa Maria del Patrocinio en Buenos Aires are under the jurisdiction of the Roman-rite Archbishop of Buenos Aires.  The Armenian Diocese of San Gregorio de Narak en Buenos Aires, established in 1989, is under the jurisdiction of the Armenian patriarch. The Greek Melkite Apostolic Exarchate of Argentina, established in 2002, is immediately subject to the Pope.  The Ordinariate to the Faithful of Oriental Rites was established in 1959 and is led by the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.  There is also a military services diocese.

This blog will cover seven Roman-rite ecclesiastical provinces in the east and south of Argentina.

Province of Buenos Aires

The province consists of the City of Buenos Aires and its suburbs.  The Diocese of Buenos Aires was established in 1620 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1866.

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Buenos Aires combines a neoclassical exterior with a Renaissance and Baroque interior.  Construction of the current church started in the late 17^th Century, but the nave collapsed in 1752 and rebuilding took place over the next 40 years.  The current façade dates to the 1860s.  The Cathedral’s floor is covered with mosaics designed in Italy and the main altar has an 18^th Century gilt wood Rococo altarpiece from Spain.  The Cathedral also has 17^th Century crucifix, an 1871 Walcker pipe organ with over 3,500 pipes, and Stations of the Cross that are original oil paintings that are about 5 feet high and 3 feet wide.  The image of the Virgin of Buen Ayre recalls the origin of the name of the metropolitan city.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has 12 suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Lomas de Zamora was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Moron was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of San Isidro was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Avellaneda-Lanus was created in 1961 as the Diocese of Avellaneda and acquired its current name in 2001.
• The Diocese of San Martin was created in 1961.
• The Diocese of San Justo was created in 1969.
• The Diocese of Quilmes was created in 1976.
• The Ukrainian Diocese of Santa Maria del Patrocinio en Buenos Aires was created as an apostolic exarchate in 1968 and became a Diocese in 1978.
• The Diocese of San Miguel was created in 1978.
• The Maronite Diocese of San Charbel en Buenos Aires was created in 1990.
• The Diocese of Merlo-Moreno was created in 1997.
• The Diocese of Gregorio de Laferrere was created in 2000.

Province of Parana

The province consists of the civil Province of Entre Rios.  The Diocese of Parana was created in 1859 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Parana in 1934.

Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Parana was built in the late 19^th Century, although the parish dates to 1730.  The Cathedral is a mix of Renaissance and Byzantine styles and has two towers and a dome.

From Wikipedia

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Gualeguaychu was established in1957.
• The Diocese of Concordia was established in 1961.

Province of La Plata

The province consists of the civil Province of Buenos Aires, except for the City of Buenos Aires and its immediate suburbs.  The Diocese of La Plata was created in 1897 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Plata in 1934.

The cornerstone of the brick Our Lady of Sorrows Cathedral in La Plata was laid in 1884.  The unfinished church was consecrated in 1902 but construction was halted in the 1930s due to concerns about the foundation.  Renovations took place in the late 1990s which strengthened the foundation and added the two 367-foot towers.  The neo-Gothic building is modeled after the cathedrals in Amiens, France, and Cologne, Germany.  The Spanish website is catedraldelaplata.com.

All are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Azul was created in 1934.
• The Diocese of Mar del Plata was established in 1957.
• The Diocese of Nueve de Julio was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Zarate-Campana was established in 1976.
• The Diocese of Chascomus established in 1980. 

Province of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz

The province consists of the northern part of the civil Province of Santa Fe.  The Diocese of Santa Fe was created in 1897 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 1934.  It acquired its current name in 1992.

The adobe All Saints Cathedral in Santa Fe was originally constructed in 1649 in an Italian Classical style, although additions were made over the centuries.  The Cathedral has two bell towers and a marble altar that dates to the early 19^th Century.  The Cathedral also features oil paintings, a carving of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a marble sculpture of the crucified Christ.

Both are from Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Reconquista was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Rafaela was established in 1961. 

Province of Bahia Blanca

The province consists of southern Buenos Aires (civil) Province and the civil Provinces of La Pampa, Rio Negro, Chubut, and Santa Cruz.  The Diocese of Bahia Blanca was created in 1934 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bahia Blanca in 1957.  Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral in Bahia Blanca was completed in 1929.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has eight suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Viedma was created in 1934.
• The Diocese of Comodoro Rivadavia was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Santa Rosa was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Rio Gallegos was created in 1961.
• The Diocese of Alto Valle del Rio Negro was created in 1993.
• The Diocese of San Carlos de Bariloche was created in 1993.
• The Territorial Prelature of Esquel was created in 2009.
• The Diocese of Rawson was created in 2023.

Province of Rosario

The province consists of the southern part of the civil Santa Fe Province.  The Diocese of Rosario was established in 1934 and was promoted to a Metropolitan archdiocese in 1963.

The Cathedral Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Rosario began as a parish church in 1731.  The current building was built in the late 19^th Century and contains a statue of the Virgin of the Rosary that was brought from Spain in 1773.  The main altar is made of Italian Carrara marble.  Pope Paul VI designated the Cathedral as a minor basilica in 1964.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of San Nicolas de los Arroyos was created in 1947.
• The Diocese of Venado Tuerto was created in 1963. 

Province of Resistencia

The province consists of the civil Provinces of Chaco and Formosa.  The Diocese of Resistencia was established in 1939 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Resistencia in 1984.  St. Ferdinand the King Cathedral in Resistencia was built in the 1930s.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Formosa was established in 1957.
• The Diocese of San Roque de Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena was established in 1963 as the Diocese of Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena and acquired its current name in 1992.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also archdioceses that are not part of a province that are directly under the jurisdiction of the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates, apostolic prefectures, and territorial prelatures.  All are missionary territories below the level of a diocese.  The difference is that a vicar apostolic holds the rank of a bishop and the other two are led by a priest, but not a bishop. 

Most Catholics in the world belong to the Latin or Roman rite.  Rite refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage.  Many Catholics belong to one of two dozen Eastern rite churches.  Eastern rite churches trace their heritage to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.  Eastern rite churches sometimes use different terminologies.  For example, a diocese might be called an eparchy and is led by an eparch.  A vicariate apostolic is called an exarchy and is led by an exarch. 

A basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  Some cathedrals are also basilicas.  Each basilica has a ceremonial umbrella in the papal colors of white and yellow and a ceremonial bell—both are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.