Diocese of La Vega, Dominican Republic 🇩🇴

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Name: La Vega / Vegen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Santiago de los Caballeros

Neighbouring Dioceses: San Juan de la Maguana (←), Santiago de los Caballeros (↖), San Francisco de Macorís (↗), Santo Domingo (↘), Baní (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1511.08.08: Established as Diocese of Concepción de la Vega (español) (from the suppressed Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hyaguata, Diocese of Bayuna and Diocese of Magua and became suffragan of Sevilla)
1546.02.12: Became suffragan of Santo Domingo
1606: Suppressed (to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santo Domingo)
1953.09.25: Restored as Diocese of La Vega / Vegen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santo Domingo and became suffragan of Santo Domingo)
1978.01.16: Gained territory from Diocese of Santiago de los Caballeros and lost territory to establish Diocese of San Francisco de Macorís
1994.02.14: Became suffragan of Santiago de los Caballeros

Present Prelates

Bishop:

vacant

Apostolic Administrator (2025.11.10 – ...):

Bishop José Amable Durán Tineo (54)

Titular Bishop of Tacia montana

Auxiliary Bishop of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)

Ordinaries

Bishops of La Vega (Roman Rite)

Bishop José Amable Durán Tineo (54)
(Apostolic Administrator 2025.11.10 – ...)

Bishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán (56) (later Archbishop)
(2024.10.18 – 2025.10.18)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
Bishop emeritus of La Vega (Dominican Republic)

Dominus fortitudo mea

Born:	1969.11.02 (Monte de la Jagua, Espaillat, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	2000.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.02.25

Priest of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (2000.06.24 – 2016.12.14)

Titular Bishop of Capo della Foresta (2016.12.14 – 2024.10.18)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (2016.12.14 – 2024.10.18)

Apostolic Administrator of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (2023.12.02 – 2024.10.18)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (2024.10.18 – 2025.10.18)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) (2025.10.18 – ...)

Bishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán (56) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2023.12.02 – 2024.10.18)

Bishop Héctor Rafael Rodríguez Rodríguez, M.S.C. (65) (later Archbishop)
(2015.02.23 – 2023.10.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic)
President of Dominican Episcopal Conference

Manso y humilde

Born:	1961.01.13 (Sánchez, Samaná, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	1989.06.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.05.09

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (2015.02.23 – 2023.10.07)

Vice-President of Dominican Episcopal Conference (2017.07.07 – 2023.07.04)

President of Dominican Episcopal Conference (2023.07.04 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (2023.10.07 – ...)

Bishop Gabriel Antonio Camilo González (88)
(1992.10.10 – 2015.02.23)

Bishop emeritus of La Vega (Dominican Republic)

Vince in bono mallum

Born:	1938.02.07 (Salcedo, Hermanas Mirabal, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	1962.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.12.08

Priest of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) (1962.07.01 – 1992.10.10)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (1992.10.10 – 2015.02.23)

Bishop Juan Antonio Flores Santana (later Archbishop)
(1966.04.24 – 1992.07.13)

In caritate non ficta

Born:	1927.07.03 (Bocas de Licey, Dominican Republic)
Ordained Priest:	1953.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.06.12
Died:	2014.11.09 (Santiago de los Caballeros Bandera de la República Dominicana, Dominican Republic † 87)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (1966.04.24 – 1992.07.13)

President of Dominican Episcopal Conference (1979 – 1981)

Bishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (1992.07.13 – 1994.02.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic) (1994.02.14 – 2003.07.16)

Bishop Francisco Panal Ramírez, O.F.M.
(1956.06.22 – 1965.12.20)

Born:	1893.09.20 (Ubrique, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1916.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.12.08
Died:	1970.08.13 (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic † 76)

Bishop of La Vega (Dominican Republic) (1956.06.22 – 1965.12.20)

Titular Bishop of Zama minor (1965.12.20 – 1970.08.13)

Bishops of Concepción de la Vega (Roman Rite)

Abbot Luis de Figuerao, O.S.H.
(1523 – 1523.03.23 not possessed)

Born:	(Spain)
Died:	1523.03.23

Bishop of Concepción de la Vega (Dominican Republic) (1523 – 1523.03.23 not possessed)

Abbot nullius of Jamaica (Jamaica) (1523 – 1523.03.23 not possessed)

Bishop Pedro Suárez de Deza
(1511.08.08 – 1523.03.17)

Born:	(Spain)
Consecrated Bishop:	1512.03.03
Died:	1523.03.17 (Córdoba, Spain)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyaguata (Dominican Republic) (1504.11.15 – 1511.08.08 not possessed)

Bishop of Concepción de la Vega (Dominican Republic) (1511.08.08 – 1523.03.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción, La Vega, La Vega, Cibao Sur
National Shrine: Santuario Nacional Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Santo Cerro, La Vega, Cibao Sur

San Juan de la Maguana (←), Santiago de los Caballeros (↖), San Francisco de Macorís (↗), Santo Domingo (↘), Baní (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 4,919 km²

Population: 838,000 Catholics (98.6% of 850,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 60 parishes

Personnel: 121 priests (77 diocesan, 44 religious), 106 deacons, 236 religious (64 brothers, 172 sisters), 20 seminarians