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.