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.