Metropolitan Archdiocese of Maracaibo, Venezuela

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Maracaibo / Maracaiben(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Cabimas, El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia, Machiques

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: San Sebastián (January 20)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1897.07.28: Established as Diocese of Zulia / Zulien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Mérida and became suffragan of Caracas)
1943.05.26: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Machiques
1953.01.02: Renamed as Diocese of Maracaibo / Maracaiben(sis) (Latin)
1965.07.23: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Cabimas
1966.04.30: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Maracaibo / Maracaiben(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan see Cabimas)
1994.07.07: Lost territory to establish Diocese of El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia and gained suffragan see El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia
1997.07.12: Gained suffragan see Punto Fijo
1998.11.23: Lost suffragan see Punto Fijo
2011.04.09: Gained suffragan see Machiques

Contact Info

Address: Calle 95 entre Avenidas 2 y 3, El Milagro, Apdo. Postal 439, Maracaibo, Estado Zulia, Venezuela

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1985.01)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2018.05.24 – ...):

Archbishop José Luis Azuaje Ayala (66)

First Vice-President of Latin American Episcopal Council

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Maracaibo (Roman Rite)

Archbishop José Luis Azuaje Ayala (66)
(2018.05.24 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela)
First Vice-President of Latin American Episcopal Council

Born:	1957.12.06 (Valera, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1984.05.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.05.29

Priest of Trujillo (Venezuela) (1984.05.05 – 1999.03.18)

Titular Bishop of Italica (1999.03.18 – 2006.07.15)

Auxiliary Bishop of Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (1999.03.18 – 2006.07.15)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2001 – 2006)

Apostolic Administrator of El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia (Venezuela) (2005 – 2006.07.15)

Bishop of El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia (Venezuela) (2006.07.15 – 2013.08.30)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2012.01.12 – 2018.01.09)

Bishop of Barinas (Venezuela) (2013.08.30 – 2018.05.24)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2018.01.09 – 2022.01.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (2018.05.24 – ...)

First Vice-President of Latin American Episcopal Council (2023.05.17 – ...)

Archbishop Ubaldo Ramón Santana Sequera, F.M.I. (82)
(2000.11.11 – 2018.05.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Maracaibo (Venezuela)

Born:	1941.05.16 (Cagua, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1968.10.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.05.27

Titular Bishop of Cæciri (1990.04.04 – 1991.05.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1990.04.04 – 1991.05.02)

Bishop of Ciudad Guayana (Venezuela) (1991.05.02 – 2000.11.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (2000.11.11 – 2018.05.24)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (2006 – 2012.01.12)

Archbishop Ramón Ovidio Pérez Morales (91)
(1992.12.23 – 1999.06.05)

Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Los Teques (Venezuela)

Born:	1932.06.26 (Pregonero, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1958.10.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.03.19

Priest of Caracas (Venezuela) (1958.10.26 – 1970.12.02)

Titular Bishop of Aquæ Albæ in Byzacena (1970.12.02 – 1980.05.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1970.12.02 – 1980.05.20)

Bishop of Coro (Venezuela) (1980.05.20 – 1992.12.23)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (1990 – 1996)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1992.12.23 – 1999.06.05)

Archbishop-Bishop of Los Teques (Venezuela) (1999.06.05 – 2004.12.30)

Archbishop Domingo Roa Pérez
(1966.04.30 – 1992.12.23)

Born:	1915.02.21 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1941.04.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.11.24
Died:	2000.01.01 († 84)

Bishop of Calabozo (Venezuela) (1957.10.03 – 1961.01.16)

Bishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1961.01.16 – 1966.04.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1966.04.30 – 1992.12.23)

President of Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (1978 – 1984)

Apostolic Administrator of El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia (Venezuela) (1994 – 1999.04.14)

Bishops of Maracaibo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Domingo Roa Pérez (later Archbishop)
(1961.01.16 – 1966.04.30)

(see above)

Bishop José Rafael Pulido Méndez (later Archbishop)
(1958.06.21 – 1961.01.16)

Born:	1907.10.24 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1930.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.10.19
Died:	1972.08.30 († 64)

Bishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1958.06.21 – 1961.01.16)

Titular Archbishop of Cyrrhus (1961.01.16 – 1966.11.22)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Mérida (Venezuela) (1961.01.16 – 1966.11.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mérida (Venezuela) (1966.11.22 – 1972.08.30)

Bishop Marcos Sergio Godoy
(1953.01.02 – 1957.10.21)

Born:	1881.10.07 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1906.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1920.05.16
Died:	1957.10.21 († 76)

Bishop of Zulia (Venezuela) (1920.03.08 – 1953.01.02)

Bishop of Maracaibo (Venezuela) (1953.01.02 – 1957.10.21)

Bishops of Zulia (Roman Rite)

Bishop Marcos Sergio Godoy
(1920.03.08 – 1953.01.02)

(see above)

Bishop Arturo Celestino Alvarez
(1910.08.16 – 1919.12.18)

Born:	1870.04.08 (Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1893.11.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.11.06
Died:	1952.01.08 († 81)

Bishop of Zulia (Venezuela) (1910.08.16 – 1919.12.18)

Titular Bishop of Thapsus (1919.12.18 – 1921.05.09)

Coadjutor Bishop of Calabozo (Venezuela) (1919.12.18 – 1921.05.09)

Bishop of Calabozo (Venezuela) (1921.05.09 – 1952.01.08)

Bishop Francisco Marvez
(1897.10.21 – 1904)

Born:	1839.11.10 (Venezuela)
Consecrated Bishop:	1898
Died:	1904 († 65)

Bishop of Zulia (Venezuela) (1897.10.21 – 1904)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Ángel Francisco Caraballo Fermín (58) (2012.11.30 – 2019.01.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Cástor Oswaldo Azuaje Pérez, O.C.D. (2007.06.30 – 2012.04.03)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop William Enrique Delgado Silva (73) (1995.11.03 – 1999.04.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antonio José López Castillo (later Archbishop) (1988.02.26 – 1992.08.01)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Alí Lebrún Moratinos (later Cardinal) (1956.08.02 – 1958.06.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Rincón Bonilla (1950.12.09 – 1956)