Spain—2

This blog covers 7 ecclesiastical provinces in central and southern Spain.

Province of Toledo

The province mostly consists of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, including the civil provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Toledo.  The Diocese of Toledo was created in the 1st Century and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 313.  The Archbishop of Toledo also holds the title of Primate of Spain.

The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo was built between 1226 and 1493 in a High Gothic style with white limestone.  It is located on the site of a former cathedral and a mosque.  Openings allow natural light to illuminate the Cathedral, which has paintings by El Greco, Tristan, van Dyck, Goya, Titian, Velazquez, and Caravaggio.  The stained glass windows date to the 14th through the 17th Centuries.  Several monarchs of Leon and Castile are buried in the Cathedral.  See catedralprimada.es.

Most Catholics in the world belong to the Latin or Roman rite.  Rite refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage.  The Mozarabic Rite is a liturgical rite known in Spain and Portugal since before the 6th Century.  Almost all churches in Spain and Portugal use the Roman Rite, but the Mozarabic Rite is still used occasionally in the Cathedral at Toledo and in six other parishes.

The first four pictures are from TB, the fifth from Pinterest, and the others from Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Siguenza was established in 589 and renamed the Diocese of Siguenza-Guadalajara in 1959.
• The Diocese of Cuenca was established in 1183.
• The Diocese of Albacete was established in 1949.
• The Diocese of Ciudad Real began as a territorial prelature in 1875 before being promoted to a diocese in 1980.

Province of Seville

The province consists of the western half of the autonomous community of Andalusia, including the civil provinces of Cadiz, Cordoba, Huelva, Malaga, and Seville; and well as the Canary Islands.  The Diocese of Seville was created at least by the 3rd Century, and possibly in the 1st Century, and became a metropolitan archdiocese in the 4th Century.

The Cathedral of St. Mary in Seville is the world’s third-largest church covering 253,000 square feet.  After the Moors were driven out of Seville in 1248, Seville’s archbishops used a 12th Century former mosque as their cathedral.  The current Gothic cathedral was constructed between 1434 and 1506 and incorporates portions of the mosque.  One of the Cathedral’s architects wrote that “the church was built so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will think we are mad.”  The Cathedral has 15 doors—each a work of art—and 80 chapels.  A Gothic retable featuring the life of Christ was the lifetime work of a single artist.  The Cathedral’s most notable feature is the Giralda tower which rises 343 feet above the ground.  This bell tower was originally the minaret of the 12th Century mosque, although the upper sections date only to the 16th Century.  The Spanish believe that Christopher Columbus is buried in the Cathedral (see the fourth picture), but Cuba and the Dominican Republic also claim Columbus’ corpse.  See catedraldesevilla.es.

The first four pictures are by TB and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Cordoba was created in the 3rd Century.
• The Diocese of Cadiz was created in 1241 and renamed Cadiz y Ceuta in 1851.
• The Diocese of the Canary Islands was established in 1485.
• The Diocese of San Cristobal de la Laguna o Tenerife was established in 1819.
• The Diocese of Huelva was established in 1953.
• The Diocese Jerez de la Frontera was created in 1980.

Province of Valencia

The province consists of the Valencian autonomous community, including the civil provinces of Alicante, Castellon, and Valencia; and the Balearic autonomous community.  The Diocese of Valencia was established in 527 (and possibly in Roman times) and was suppressed around 1100.  It was restored in 1238 and promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1492.

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Valencia in Valencia was built between the 13th and 15th Centuries in a variety of architectural styles, primarily Gothic.  It occupies the site of a former cathedral and a mosque.  The Cathedral was burned during the Spanish Civil War and lost some of it decorations, but has since undergone restoration.  The Cathedral contains many 15th Century paintings and has a chalice that some think is the Holy Grail.  Pope Leo XIII declared the church a minor basilica in 1886.  See catedraldevalencia.es.

All are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Mallorca was established in 450, suppressed around 700, and restored in 1237.
• The Diocese of Ibiza was established in 450 and suppressed around 700.  It was restored in 1782 and suppressed again in 1851.  It once again became a diocese in 1949.
• The Diocese of Menorca was established in the 5th Century, suppressed around 800, and restored in 1782.
• The Diocese of Segorbe was established in 580, suppressed around 700, and restored in 1258.  It was renamed Segorbe-Castellon de la Plana in 1960.
• The Diocese of Oriheula was established in 1564 and became the Diocese of Oriheula-Alicante in 1959.

Province of Granada

The province consists of the autonomous community of Murcia as well as the eastern half of the autonomous community of Andalusia, including civil provinces of Almeria, Granada, and Jaen.  The Diocese of Granada was founded in the 3rd Century and the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Granada was established in 1492.

The Cathedral of the Incarnation in Granada was constructed primarily between 1526 and 1561 in Renaissance and Baroque styles, but work continued into the 17th Century.  It was originally designed as a royal mausoleum.  The Chapel of the Trinity has paintings by several artists, including El Greco.  See catedraldegranada.com.

The first picture is from Flickr, the next four are from TB, the sixth is from Pinterest, and the last two are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Cartagena was established in the 1st Century.
• The Diocese of Malaga was established in the 1st Century before being suppressed around 1200.  It was restored in 1486.
• The Diocese of Guadix was established in the 1st Century.
• The Diocese of Jaen was established in the 7th Century.
• The Diocese of Almeria was created in 1492.

Province of Valladolid

The province consists of the southern half of the autonomous community of Castile and Leon, including the civil provinces of Avila, Salamanca, Segovia, Valladolid, and Zamora.  The Diocese of Valladolid was established in 1595 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1857.

The Cathedral of the Assumption in Valladolid was built largely in the 17th Century in a Renaissance style.  The 18th Century façade has statues of St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Gregory, and St. Jerome.  The Cathedral has a music archive with 6,000 pieces.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Avila was created in 380, suppressed around 700, and restored in 1121.
• The Diocese of Salamanca was established in 580 (and possibly earlier), suppressed in 712, and restored in the 10th Century.
• The Diocese of Segovia was created in the 6th Century.
• The Diocese of Zamora was created in the 10th Century.
• The Diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo was established in 1168.

Province of Madrid

The province consists of the autonomous community of Madrid.  The Diocese of Madrid y Alcala de Henares was established in 1885.  The Archdiocese of Madrid was created in 1964 and it became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1991.

The Cathedral of St. Mary, Queen of the City, in Madrid, was built between 1879 and 1993, with construction abandoned during the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War.  The Cathedral combines Neoclassical, Neo-Gothic, and neo-Romanesque styles.  See catedraldelaalmudena.es.

The top picture is from Flickr and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Alcala de Henares was established in 1991.
• The Diocese of Getafe was established in 1991.

Province of Merida-Badajoz

The province consists of the autonomous community of Extremadura, including the civil provinces Badajoz and Caceres.  The Diocese of Merida was established in the 5th Century and the Diocese of Badajoz was established in 1255.  They merged into the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Merida-Badajoz in 1994.

St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Badajoz was built between 1230 and 1276 with modifications made over the centuries.  The Gothic cathedral has a square tower that is 35 feet on each side at the base and 55 feet tall.  The altar and pipe organ are designed in a Baroque style.

The top picture is from Flickr and the other two are from Wikipedia.

The Co-Cathedral of St. Mary Major in Merida was built between 1239 and 1579 using Gothic and Romanesque styles.  The bell tower and a 16th Century music box with 10 bells and an historic clock. See meridabadajoz.net/archidiocesis/concatedral-de-merida.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Coria was established around 500 and suppressed around 1000.  It was restored in 1142 and became the Diocese of Coria-Caceres in 1957.
• The Diocese of Plasencia was created in 1189.

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 jurisdictions below the level of a diocese, including a territorial prelature which is a missionary territory.

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 of these are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.