Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Serena, Chile

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: La Serena (español) / Serenen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Copiapó, Illapel

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Andacollo (October 7)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: October 16

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1840.07.01: Established as Diocese of La Serena (español) / Serenen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago and became suffragan of Santiago)
1881: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Antofagasta
1939.05.29: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Serena (español) / Serenen(sis) (Latin)
1939.12.20: Gained suffragan see Iquique
1955.04.21: Gained suffragan see Copiapó
1959.02.17: Gained suffragan see Arica
1960.04.30: Lost territory to establish Territorial Prelature of Illapel and gained suffragan see Illapel
1965.07.21: Gained suffragan see Calama
1967.06.28: Lost suffragan sees Iquique, Arica and Calama

Contact Info

Address: Los Carrera 450, La Serena, Chile

Phone: 51-545842

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1987.04)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2013.12.14 – ...):	Archbishop René Osvaldo Rebolledo Salinas (65) President of Episcopal Conference of Chile
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.04.05 – ...):	Bishop-elect Henry Joseph Balzan (60) Titular Bishop of La Imperial

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of La Serena (Roman Rite)

Archbishop René Osvaldo Rebolledo Salinas (65)
(2013.12.14 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile)
President of Episcopal Conference of Chile

In verbo tuo

Born:	1958.09.22 (Cunco, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1984.08.25
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.06.19

Priest of Villarrica (Chile) (1984.08.25 – 2004.05.08)

Bishop of Osorno (Chile) (2004.05.08 – 2013.12.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (2013.12.14 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (2018.11.13 – 2021.07.28)

President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (2024.04.17 – ...)

Archbishop Manuel Gerardo Donoso Donoso, SS.CC. (87)
(1997.04.16 – 2013.12.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of La Serena (Chile)

He admirado tu obra, Señor

Born:	1936.10.16 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1961.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.08.10

Titular Bishop of Elo (1996.06.28 – 1997.04.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1996.06.28 – 1997.04.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1997.04.16 – 2013.12.14)

Archbishop Francisco José Cox Huneeus, I.Sch. (later Mr.)
(1990.09.29 – 1997.04.16)

Pastor ad pacem

Born:	1933.12.18 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1961.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.03.02
Died:	2020.08.12 (Santiago, Chile † 86)

Bishop of Chillán (Chile) (1974.12.14 – 1981.11.09)

Secretary of Pontifical Council for the Family (1981.08.04 – 1985.01.22)

Coadjutor Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1985.01.22 – 1990.09.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1990.09.29 – 1997.04.16)

Lay state (2018.10.11)

Archbishop Bernardino Piñera Carvallo
(1983.07.01 – 1990.09.29)

Servus tuus sum ego

Born:	1915.09.22 (Paris, France)
Ordained Priest:	1947.04.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.04.27
Died:	2020.06.21 (Santiago, Chile † 104)

Titular Bishop of Prusias ad Hypium (1958.02.11 – 1960.12.10)

Auxiliary Bishop of Talca (Chile) (1958.02.11 – 1960.12.10)

Bishop of Temuco (Chile) (1960.12.10 – 1977.12.23)

President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (1983 – 1987)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1983.07.01 – 1990.09.29)

Archbishop Juan Francisco Fresno Larraín (later Cardinal)
(1967.07.28 – 1983.05.03)

Adveniat regnum tuum

Born:	1914.07.26 (Santiago, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1937.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.08.15
Created Cardinal:	1985.05.25
Died:	2004.10.14 (Santiago, Chile † 90)

Priest of Santiago (Chile) (1937.12.18 – 1958.06.15)

Bishop of Copiapó (Chile) (1958.06.15 – 1967.07.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1967.07.28 – 1983.05.03)

President of Episcopal Conference of Chile (1976 – 1977)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago (Chile) (1983.05.03 – 1990.03.30)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Immacolata di Lourdes a Boccea (1985.05.25 – 2004.10.14)

Archbishop Alfredo Cifuentes Gómez
(1943.06.05 – 1967.03.10)

Born:	1890.02.08 (Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1913.10.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.04.15
Died:	1989.10.14 († 99)

Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1933.12.23 – 1943.06.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1943.06.05 – 1967.03.10)

Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of Copiapó (Chile) (1947.03.19 – 1948.06.17)

Titular Archbishop of Thapsus (1967.03.10 – 1970.12.02)

Archbishop Juan Subercaseaux Errázuriz
(1940.01.08 – 1942.08.09)

Born:	1896.08.26 (Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1920.04.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.04.28
Died:	1942.08.09 († 45)

Bishop of Linares (Chile) (1935.02.23 – 1940.01.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1940.01.08 – 1942.08.09)

Archbishop José María Caro Rodríguez (later Cardinal)
(1939.05.20 – 1939.08.28)

Virtus nostrum et deus refugium

Born:	1866.06.23 (Cahuil, Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1890.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1912.04.28
Created Cardinal:	1946.02.18
Died:	1958.12.04 (Santiago de Chile, Chile † 92)

Vicar Apostolic of Tarapacá (Chile) (1911.05.06 – 1925.12.14)

Titular Bishop of Mylasa (1912.01.05 – 1925.12.14)

Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1925.12.14 – 1939.05.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1939.05.20 – 1939.08.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago (Chile) (1939.08.28 – 1958.12.04)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria della Scala pro hac vice Title (1946.05.17 – 1958.12.04)

Bishops of La Serena (Roman Rite)

Bishop José María Caro Rodríguez (later Cardinal)
(1925.12.14 – 1939.05.20)

(see above)

Bishop Carlos Silva Cotapos
(1918.02.20 – 1925.12.14)

Born:	1868.05.10 (Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1891.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1918.06.07
Died:	1941.09.29 († 73)

Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1918.02.20 – 1925.12.14)

Bishop of Talca (Chile) (1925.12.14 – 1939.01.21)

Titular Bishop of Myrica (1939.01.21 – 1941.09.29)

Bishop Ramón Angel Jara Ruz
(1909.08.31 – 1917.03.09)

Born:	1852.08.02 (Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1875.12.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1898.06.19
Died:	1917.03.09 († 64)

Apostolic Administrator of Valparaíso (Chile) (1894.03.13 – 1898.04.28)

Bishop of San Carlos de Ancud (Chile) (1898.04.28 – 1909.08.31)

Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1909.08.31 – 1917.03.09)

Bishop Florencio Eduardo Fontecilla Sánchez
(1890.06.26 – 1909.03.03)

Born:	1854.02.22 (Chile)
Ordained Priest:	1877.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1890.09.08
Died:	1909.03.03 († 55)

Ecclesiastical Superior of Antofagasta (Chile) (1883 – 1886.12.23)

Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1890.06.26 – 1909.03.03)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Francisco José Cox Huneeus, I.Sch. (later Mr.) (1985.01.22 – 1990.09.29)
Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Arturo Mery Beckdorf (1963 – 1976.05.28)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Luis Gleisner Wobbe (88) (2001.07.10 – 2014.11.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Manuel Gerardo Donoso Donoso, SS.CC. (87) (later Archbishop) (1996.06.28 – 1997.04.16)
Auxiliary Bishop: Archbishop Arturo Mery Beckdorf (1961.05.14 – 1963)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Eduardo Solar Vicuña (1914.09.08 – 1920.03.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Guillermo Juan Carter Gallo (1893.06.15 – 1895.06.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Merced, La Serena, Coquimbo
Minor Basilica: Basílica-Santuario Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Andacollo, Coquimbo
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Churches by City (35)

Copiapó (↑), San Juan de Cuyo (→), Illapel (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 40,579 km²

Population: 425,630 Catholics (60.9% of 698,885 total)

Pastoral Centres: 34 parishes, 416 missions

Personnel: 54 priests (32 diocesan, 22 religious), 62 deacons, 137 religious (25 brothers, 112 sisters), 7 seminarians