Ecuador

What is now Ecuador was once part of the Incan Empire.  Spain conquered the region in 1533 and made it a Spanish colony.  A nation known as Gran Columbia declared its independence from Spain in 1819 and Ecuador broke away from Gran Columbia in 1830.  Spanish missionaries brought the Faith to Ecuador and today 74 percent of Ecuador’s 16 million people are Catholic.  About 15 percent are Protestant.

Ecuador has four ecclesiastic provinces:  Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and Portoviejo.  In addition, there is a military diocese created in 1983.

There are also eight apostolic vicariates, all of which are directly subject to the Pope.  Aguarico (1984) is in the civil Province of Orellana, Esmeraldas (1957) is in the Province of Esmeraldas, Galapagos (2008) is in the Province of Galapagos, Mendez (1893) is in the civil Province of Morona Santiago, Napo (1871) is in the Province of Napo, Puyo (1964) is in the Province of Pastaza, San Miguel de Sucumbios (1984) is in the civil Province of Sucumbios, and Zamora (1893) is in the Province of Zamora-Chinchipe.  (Six of the eight began as apostolic prefectures.  The date shown is the establishment of the apostolic vicariate.)

Province of Quito

The province consists of the civil provinces of Bolivar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, and Tungurahua, in northwestern Ecuador.  The Diocese of Quito was established in 1546 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Quito in 1848.

The Primary Cathedral of St. Peter in Quito was built between 1562 and 1565.  The Cathedral has been enhanced several times since then due in part to damage from a volcanic eruption (1660) and multiple earthquakes.  The white church has a single bell tower and employs Gothic-Mudejar, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles.  The main entrance features a circular staircase and an elaborate entrance known as the Carondelet Arch.  Three green glazed ceramic domes top the Cathedral.  Inside, the Cathedral has several chapels and a wooden coffered ceiling with paintings adorning the arches.  The paintings are mostly from Ecuadoran artists and feature biblical themes.  The oldest painting dates to the 17th Century.  The main altar is made entirely of gold.  The Cathedral is the burial location of several presidents of Ecuador.

The first picture is from the Cathedral website, the second is from Expedia, the third is from Flickr, and the rest are from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Ibarra was created in 1862.
• The Diocese of Riobamba was created in 1862.
• The Diocese of Ambato was established in 1948.
• The Diocese of Guaranda was created in 1957.
• The Diocese of Latacunga was established in 1963.
• The Diocese of Tulcan was created in 1965.

Province of Guayaquil

The province consists of the civil provinces of Guayas, Los Rios, and Santa Elena, in west central Ecuador.  The Diocese of Guayaquil was established in 1838 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1956.  The Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Guayaquil was built in a Neo-Gothic style between 1924 and 1937 to replace an earlier cathedral destroyed by fire.

The first picture is from Flickr, the second is from Pinterest, and the other two are from Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Babahoyo began as an apostolic vicariate in 1948 and became a diocese in 1994.
• The Diocese of San Jacinto was established in 2009.
• The Diocese of Daule was established in 2022.
• The Diocese of Santa Elena was established in 2022.

Province of Cuenca

The province consists of the civil provinces of Azuay, Canar, Loja, and El Oro, in southwestern Ecuador.  The Diocese of Cuenca was created in 1786 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1957.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cuenca was built in a variety of architectural styles—mostly Romanesque Revival—between 1885 and 1975.  The Cathedral has six domes—the three largest of which are covered in blue and white glazed tile.  The Cathedral’s façade is made of alabaster and marble.  The interior has pink marble floors and 11 side altars.  The baldachin, the shape of which is reminiscent of the one in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, is made of cedar and covered in gold leaf.

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

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Loja was established in 1862.
• The Diocese of Azogues was established in 1968.
• The Diocese of Machala was established as a territorial prelature in 1954 and became a diocese in 1969.

Province of Portoviejo

The province consists of the civil province of Manabi in west central Ecuador.  The Diocese of Portoviejo was established in 1870 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1994.

The Cathedral of Jesus the Good Shepherd in Portoviejo was built between 1956 and 1980 and combines several architectural styles.  The Cathedral has mosaics featuring the Life of Christ incorporated in the lives of the local people.

From Pinterest and Wikipedia.

The Province has one suffragan diocese.

• The Diocese of Santo Domingo was created as a territorial prelature in 1987 and became a diocese in 1996.

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 missionary jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates, apostolic prefectures, and territorial prelatures.

Bolivia

Hernando Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador, conquered what is now Bolivia in 1538.  Catholic priests accompanied Pizarro and were successful in converting many of the native people to the Catholic Faith.  La Plata (now Sucre) was established as the first diocese in 1552 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1609 creating a province that covered modern day Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay.  Bolivia gained independence from Spain in 1825 and several priests were involved in the independence movement.  Bolivia has 11.3 million people, of which 77 percent are Catholic and 16 percent are Protestant.

Bolivia has four ecclesiastic provinces—Sucre, La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.  There is also a military diocese established in 1961.  In addition, there are five apostolic vicariates, all of which are directly subject to the Pope.  Camiri (1919) and Nuflo de Chavez (1951) are in the Department of Santa Cruz, El Beni (1917) and Reyes (1942) are in the Department of Beni, and Pando (1942) is in the Department of Pando.

Province of Sucre

The province consists of the Departments of Chuquisaca, Potosi, and Tarija, in southern Bolivia.  The Diocese of La Plata was erected in 1552 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1609.  It was renamed the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sucre in 1924.

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sucre was built between 1552 and 1712.  The Cathedral employs several architectural styles including Renaissance and what might be called Bolivian Baroque.  The bell tower has terracotta statues of the Apostles the Evangelists and features a 18th Century clock made in London.  The interior features crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, gold and Potosi silver embellishments, oil paintings depicting the martyrdoms of the Apostles, hand-carved wooden pews, choir chairs finished in velvet, and a silver altar cross.  The Cathedral also has a rich musical history.  The Cathedral was designed a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1925—the first basilica in Bolivia.

The top picture is from Pinterest and the bottom picture is from Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Potosi was established in 1924.
• The Diocese of Tarija was created in 1924.

Province of La Paz

The province consists of the Department of La Paz in western Bolivia.  The Diocese of La Paz was established in 1605 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1943.

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in La Paz was built between 1835 and 1925 using Neoclassical and Baroque styles.    There are five naves with a carved bronze entrance door for each.  The two towers were built in 1989 and each is topped with a dome.  The Cathedral has a central dome 40 feet in diameter and a main altar made of Italian marble with high reliefs and bronze inlays.  A chapel in the Cathedral contains the tomb of Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana, an early Bolivian president.  Pope Pius XII designed the Cathedral as minor basilica in 1948.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Coroico began as a territorial prelature in 1958 and became a diocese in 1983.
• The Diocese of El Alto was established in 1994.
• The Territorial Prelature of Corocoro was was established in 1949.

Province of Cochabamba

The province consists of the Departments of Cochabamba and Oruro in west central Bolivia.  The Diocese of Cochabamba was created in 1847 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1975.

The Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Cochabamba was built between 1701 and 1735 using Spanish Baroque, Renaissance, and native Bolivian styles.  It is made of stone and adobe with brick domes.  The portico has Corinthian columns and a rose window.

The first picture is from TripAdvisor and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Oruro was established in 1924.
• The Territorial Prelature of Aiquile was established in 1961.

Province of Santa Cruz de la Sierra

The province consists of part of the Department of Santa Cruz in eastern Bolivia.  The Diocese of Santa Cruz de la Sierra was established in 1605 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1975.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence in Santa Cruz was built between 1770 and 1838 and was designed by a French architect.  The Cathedral has decorated wooden vaults and an altar with a carved silver coating.  Pope John Paul II designated the cathedral as a minor basilica in 1980.

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

The Province has one suffragan diocese.

• The Diocese of San Ignacio de Velasco was established as an apostolic vicariate in 1930 and became a diocese in 1994.

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 missionary jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates and territorial prelatures.

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.

Peru

Peru was the center of the Incan Empire until the Inca were conquered by Spain in 1533.  The Catholic Faith was introduced by Spanish missionaries and the first diocese (Cusco) was erected in 1536.  The first New World saint was St. Rose of Lima, who died in 1617.  Today, Peru has 31 million people and over 70 percent are Catholic.  About 15 percent are Protestant. 

Peru has seven ecclesiastical provinces.  In addition, there is a military diocese created in 1943.  Peru also has eight apostolic vicariates that are all immediately subject to the Pope.  (Five of the eight began as apostolic prefectures.  The date shown is the establishment of the apostolic vicariate.)

• Civil Department of Cajamarca (portions): Jaen en Peru (1971).
• Department of Junin (portions): San Ramon (1925).
• Department of Loreto: Iquitos (1921), Yurimaguas (1936), San Jose de Amazonas (1955), and Requena (1956).
• Department of Madre de Dios: Puerto Maldonado (1913).
• Department of Ucayali: Pucallpa (1956).

Province of Lima

The province consists of the civil Departments of Lima and Ica, including the Provinces of Lima and Callao, in west central Peru.  The Diocese of Lima was created in 1541 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1546.

The Baroque Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in Lima was built between 1572 and 1649.  The Cathedral has been damaged by earthquakes several times and restored.  The Cathedral has two neoclassical towers dating to 1797 and 14 side chapels.  The façade has statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Twelve Apostles.  The main altar is embossed in gold and the wooden choir stalls have carvings of saints.  The Cathedral contains the tomb of Francisco Pizarro and has been visited by five canonized saints:  St. Rose of Lima, St. Martin de Porres, St. Juan Macias, St. Francis Solano, and St. Pope John Paul II.  Pope Benedict XV designated the Cathedral as a minor basilica in 1921—the first in Peru.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has seven suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Ica was created in 1946.
• The Diocese of Huacho was created in 1958.
• The Diocese of Callao was created in 1967.
• The Diocese of Carabayllo was created in 1996.
• The Diocese of Chosica was created in 1996.
• The Diocese of Lurin was created in 1996.
• The Territorial Prelature of Yauyos was created in 1957.

Province of Arequipa

The province consists of the Departments of Moquegua, Puno, Tacna, and portions of Arequipa, in southern Peru.  The Diocese of Arequipa was created in 1577 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1943.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary in Arequipa was initially built of white volcanic stone beginning in 1544, but because of earthquakes, construction was not completed until 1656.  The Cathedral is 180 feet long and 84 feet wide with brick vaults in a neo-Renaissance style.  The Cathedral has five chapels, a main altar made of Carrara marble, and twelve wooden statutes of the Apostles made in Belgium.  Pope Pius XII declared the Cathedral to be a minor basilica in 1940.

The first picture is from Flickr and the second is from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Puno was established in 1861.
• The Diocese of Tacna y Moquegua was established in 1944.
• The Territorial Prelature of Juli was established in 1957.
• The Territorial Prelature of Ayaviri was established in 1958.
• The Territorial Prelature of Chuquibamba was established in 1962.
• The Territorial Prelature of Santiago Apostol de Huancane was established in 2019.

Province of Cusco

The province consists of the Departments of Cusco and Apurimac in southeastern Peru.  The Diocese of Cusco was established in 1536 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1943.

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption in Cuzco was built between 1559 and 1654 using a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles.  The Cathedral covers 43,000 square feet and is made of stone.  The main altar is embossed in silver and the choir stalls are made of cedar.  The north tower has a 17^th Century bell that weighs six and a half tons and can be heard 20 miles away.  The Cathedral has many paintings, including several paintings from Marcos Zapata and others from the Cuzco School of art.  Zapata’s 1753 painting of the Last Supper features Jesus and the Apostles dining on traditional Peruvian food.  One painting of the crucifixion is commonly attributed to Anthony van Dyck.  Pope Pius XI declared the Cathedral a minor basilica in 1928.

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

The Province has three suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Abancay was created in 1958.
• The Territorial Prelature of Sicuani was created in 1959.
• The Territorial Prelature of Chuquibambilla was created in 1968.

Province of Trujillo

The province consists of the Departments of La Libertad, Ancash, San Martin, and portions of Cajamarca, in northern Peru.  The Diocese of Trujillo was established in 1577 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Trujillo in 1943.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary in Trujillo was built between 1647 and 1666 in a colonial style.  It has domed towers and a wooden altar with sculptures of Christ and many saints.  Pope Paul VI designated the cathedral as a minor basilica in 1967.

The top picture is from Expedia, the second from TripAdvisor, and the last two are from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Huaraz was created in 1899.
• The Diocese of Cajamarca was created in 1908.
• The Diocese of Chimbote began as a territorial prelature in 1962 before being promoted to a diocese in 1983.
• The Diocese of Huari was created as a territorial prelature in 1958 and became a diocese in 2008.
• The Territorial Prelature of Moyobamba was created in 1948.
• The Territorial Prelature of Huamachuco was created in 1961.

Province of Ayacucho

The province consists of the Departments of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and portions of Arequipa, in southwestern Peru.  The Diocese of Ayacucho was established in 1609 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1966.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary in Ayacucho was built in a renaissance baroque style between 1632 and 1672.  There are two towers—one made of stone and the other made of brick and lime.  The interior is decorated in the Churrigueresque style (a form of Spanish baroque).  Pope John XXIII declared it a minor basilica in 1960.

Pictures are from Flickr, Wikipedia, and Youtube.

The Province has two suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Huancavelica was established in 1944.
• The Territorial Prelature of Caraveli was established in 1957.

Province of Huancayo

The province consists of the Departments of Huanuco and Pasco and portions of the Department of Junin in central Peru.  The Diocese of Huancayo was created in 1944 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Huancayo in 1966.

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Huancayo was built between 1799 and 1831 using the neoclassical architectural style.  It has several paintings from the Cusco School of art.

From Flickr and Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Huanuco was established in 1865.
• The Diocese of Tarma was created as a territorial prelature in 1958 before becoming a diocese in 1985.

Province of Piura

The province consists of the Departments of Piura, Amazonas, Lambayeque, Tumbes, and portions of Cajamarca, in northern Peru.  The Diocese of Piura was established in 1940 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1966.  The Neo-Renaissance Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in Piura was completed in 1588.

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

The Province has four suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Chachapoyas was created in 1803.
• The Diocese of Chiclayo was created in 1956.
• The Diocese of Chulucanas began as a territorial prelature in 1964 before becoming a diocese in 1988.
• The Territorial Prelature of Chota was created in 1963.

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 mission territories below the level of a diocese.  These include apostolic vicariates, apostolic prefectures, and territorial prelatures.

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.