Central South America

This blog will discuss the Catholic Church in Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Chile

What is now northern Chile was once part of the Incan Empire while the rest of Chile was controlled by the Mapuche people.  Spain conquered the region in the early 16th Century and held it until Chile gained its independence in 1818.  Chile did not acquire its current territory until the 1880s after a war with Peru and Bolivia.  Spanish Catholic missionaries brought the Faith to Chile.

About two-thirds of Chile’s 18 million people are Catholic.  Protestants account for 16 percent and about 13 percent claim no specific religion.  Chile has five ecclesiastic provinces:  Antofagasta, Concepcion, La Serena, Puerto Montt, and Santiago.  In addition, there is a military diocese created in 1910.  There is also an apostolic vicariate that is directly subject to the Pope.  The Apostolic Prefecture of Aysen was created in 1940 and became an apostolic vicariate in 1955.  It is located in the civil region of Aysen. 

Province of Santiago

The province consists of the civil regions of Santiago Metropolitan, Valparaiso, O’Higgins, and Maule in central Chile.  The Diocese of Santiago was established in 1561 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago in 1840.  

The Neoclassical and Baroque Cathedral of St. James in Santiago was designed by an Italian architect and built between 1753 and 1799.  It replaced a cathedral that had been destroyed by an earthquake.  The masonry cathedral has two towers that were added in the 19th Century.  The Cathedral has 14 side altars many decorated with gold and silver.  The 18 stained glass windows were made in Germany and were installed between 1900 and 1904.  Two windows under the dome depict the Risen Christ and Jesus with Latin American saints.  The Cathedral also has a statue of the Virgin of Carmen, the patron saint of Chile.  It was sculpted in France in 1828.    

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

The Province has seven suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Valparaiso was created as a Mission sui juris in 1872 and became a diocese in 1925.
• The Diocese of Linares was created in 1925.
• The Diocese of Rancagua was established in 1925.
• The Diocese of San Filipe was established in 1925.
• The Diocese of Talca was created in 1925.
• The Diocese of San Bernardo was created in 1987.
• The Diocese of Melipilla was created in 1991.

Province of Concepcion

The province consists of the civil regions of Biobio, Araucania, Los Rios, and Nuble, in south central Chile.  The Diocese of Concepcion was established in 1563 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Concepcion in 1939.  

The Cathedral of the Most Holy Conception in Concepción was built between 1940 and 1950 to replace the previous cathedral that had been destroyed by an earthquake.  The neo-Romanesque building has a 17th Century image of the Immaculate Conception, a fresco by Jose Alejandro Rubio Dalmati (who also made the stained glass windows), and a ceiling lined with crafted wood.  The cathedral’s museum contains an ivory figure of Christ with silver filigree and cedar wood donated by Philip II of Spain to the old cathedral.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Temuco was established as a Mission sui juris in 1908 and became a diocese in 1925.
• The Diocese of San Bartolome de Chillan was created as a Mission sui juris in 1916 and became a diocese in 1925.
• The Diocese of Valdivia was created as a Mission sui juris in 1910, became an apostolic administration in 1924, and diocese in 1944.
• The Diocese of Santa Maria de los Angeles was created in 1959.
• The Diocese of Villarrica was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1901, became an apostolic vicariate in 1928, and a diocese in 2001.

Province of La Serena

The province consists of the civil regions of Coquimbo and Atacama in north central Chile.  The Diocese of La Serena was established in 1840 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Serena in 1939.  Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral in La Serena was built between 1844 and 1856 in a neoclassical style.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan jurisdictions.

• The Diocese of Copiapo was established as an apostolic administration in 1946, became a territorial prelature in 1955, and a diocese in 1957.
• The Territorial Prelature of Illapel was established in 1960.

Province of Puerto Montt

The province consists of the civil regions of Los Lagos and Magallanes in southern Chile.  The Diocese of Puerto Montt was established in 1939 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1963. 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral is in Puerto Montt.  The neoclassical cathedral was built between 1872 and 1896 from native alerce wood.  The façade has four Doric columns reminiscent of the Parthenon.

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

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of San Carlos de Ancud was established in 1840.
• The Diocese of Punta Arenas was created as an apostolic vicariate in 1916 and became a diocese in 1947.
• The Diocese of Osorno was created in 1955.

Province of Antofagasta

The province consists of the civil regions of Antofagasta, Arica and Parinacota, and Tarapaca in northern Chile.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antofagasta began as a Mission sui juris in 1881, became an apostolic vicariate in 1887, a diocese in 1928, before becoming a metropolitan archdiocese in 1967.  

The neo-Gothic Cathedral of St. Joseph in Antofagasta was built between 1907 and 1917.  It was renovated after a 1995 earthquake and is noted for its stained glass windows.

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

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Iquique was created as an apostolic vicariate in 1880 and became a diocese in 1929.
• The Diocese of San Marcos de Arica was established as a territorial prelature in 1959 and became a diocese in 1986.
• The Diocese of San Juan Bautista de Calama was created as a territorial prelature in 1965 and was promoted to a diocese in 2010.

Paraguay

Spain colonized Paraguay in 1542 and evangelization of the native people quickly followed.  Paraguay gained its independence in 1811.

Paraguay has 7.2 million people and 90 percent are Catholic.  Protestants and other Christians make up 7 percent of the population.  There is one ecclesiastic province:  Asuncion.  In addition, there is a military diocese created in 1961.  

There are also two apostolic vicariates, both of which are immediately subject to the Pope.  Chaco Paraguayo was established in 1948 and is located in the civil department of Alto Paraguay.  Pilcomayo was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1925 and became an apostolic vicariate in 1950.  It is located in the civil department of Boqueron.  

Province of Asuncion

The province consists of the nation of Paraguay.  The Diocese of Paraguay was established in 1547 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Asuncion in 1929.  

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Asuncion was built between 1842 and 1845 to replace an earlier cathedral.  The neoclassical cathedral has a main altar coated in silver.

The first picture is from Trover and the others from Wikipedia.

The Province has 11 suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Conception was established in 1929.
• The Diocese of Villarrica was created in 1929.
• The Diocese of San Juan Bautista was established in 1957.
• The Diocese of Caacupe was created as a territorial prelature in 1960 and became a diocese in 1967.
• The Diocese of Coronel Oviedo was created as a territorial prelature in 1961 and became a diocese in 1976.
• The Diocese of Carapegua was established in 1978.
• The Diocese of San Pedro was established in 1978.
• The Diocese of Benjamin Aceval was created in 1980.
• The Diocese of Encarnacion was created as a territorial prelature in 1957 and became a diocese in 1990.
• The Diocese of Ciudad del Este was created as a territorial prelature in 1968 and became a diocese in 1993.
• The Diocese of San Lorenzo was created in 2000.
• The Diocese of Canindeyu was created in 2024.

Uruguay

The Spanish settled in Uruguay in 1624 and evangelization of the native people soon followed.  The Spanish established Montevideo in 1726 as a military and naval fortification.  Despite that, Brazil took Uruguay in 1821.  The people of Uruguay fought for their independence, which they won in 1828.

Uruguay has 3.4 million people and 47 percent are Catholic.  About 34 percent are Protestant and 17 percent are agnostic or atheist.  Uruguay has one ecclesiastic province:  Montevideo.  In addition, the Armenian Apostolic Exarchate of Latin America and Mexico, which serves 12,000 Armenian Catholics in Brazil, Mexico, and Uruguay, has a cathedral in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a co-cathedral in Montevideo.  The Apostolic Exarchate was established in 1981 and is immediately subject to the Pope.  

Province of Montevideo

The province consists of the nation of Uruguay.  The Apostolic Vicariate of Montevideo was established in 1832, was promoted to a diocese in 1878, and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montevideo in 1897.  

The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, St. Philip and St. James in Montevideo was built between 1790 and 1804 in a neoclassical style.  The Cathedral has an image of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, patroness of Uruguay.  The church also has several frescoes and a 1753 baptismal font.  Pope Pius IX declared the cathedral a minor basilica in 1870.

The first two pictures are from the Cathedral website, the third is from Panaramio, and the rest are from Wikipedia.

The Province has eight suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Salto was created in 1897.
• The Diocese of Florida was created in 1931.
• The Diocese of Melo was created in 1897, was suppressed in 1931, and restored in 1955.
• The Diocese of San Jose de Mayo was established in 1955.
• The Diocese of Tacuarembo was created in 1960.
• The Diocese of Mercedes was established in 1960.
• The Diocese of Canelones was created in 1961.
• The Diocese of Maldonado-Punta del Este-Minas was established in 1966.

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 missionary territories below the level of a diocese, including apostolic vicariates, apostolic prefectures, apostolic administrations, territorial prelatures, and missions sui juris. 

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