Diocese of Viedma, Argentina

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Viedma / Viedmen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bahía Blanca

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Patron Saint: María Auxilio de los cristianos (May 24)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1883.11.16: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Patagonia Septentrional (español) / Northern Patagonia (English) / Patagonia Settentrionale (Italiano) / Patagoniæ Septentrionalis (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Buenos Aires)
1911.05.09: Suppressed (to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Diocese of La Plata and Diocese of San Juan de Cuyo)
1934.04.20: Restored as Diocese of Viedma / Viedmen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and became suffragan of La Plata)
1957.02.11: Gained territory from Diocese of Mendoza, lost territory to establish Diocese of Comodoro Rivadavia and became suffragan of Bahía Blanca
1961.04.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Neuquén
1993.07.22: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Alto Valle del Río Negro and Diocese of San Carlos de Bariloche

Contact Info

Address: Hipólito Yrigoyen 71, R8500BCA, Viedma, Argentina

Phone: (02920) 424445

Present Prelates

Bishop (2002.10.31 – ...):

Bishop Esteban María Laxague, S.D.B. (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Viedma (Roman Rite)

Bishop Esteban María Laxague, S.D.B. (67)
(2002.10.31 – ...)

Bishop of Viedma (Argentina)

He aquí que vengo a hacer, oh Dios, tu voluntad

Born:	1957.03.04 (Coronel Pringles, Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1982.05.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2002.12.21

Bishop of Viedma (Argentina) (2002.10.31 – ...)

Bishop Marcelo Angiolo Melani, S.D.B.
(Apostolic Administrator 2002.04.06 – 2002.04.30)

Bishop Marcelo Angiolo Melani, S.D.B.
(1995.06.28 – 2002.01.09)

No para ser servido, sino para servir

Born:	1938.09.15 (Firenze, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1970.03.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1993.09.18
Died:	2021.04.14 (Pucallpa, Peru † 82)

Coadjutor Bishop of Viedma (Argentina) (1993.07.22 – 1995.06.28)

Bishop of Viedma (Argentina) (1995.06.28 – 2002.01.09)

Bishop of Neuquén (Argentina) (2002.01.09 – 2011.11.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Viedma (Argentina) (2002.04.06 – 2002.04.30)

Bishop Miguel Esteban Hesayne
(1975.04.05 – 1995.06.28)

Para servir y dar la vida

Born:	1922.12.26 (Azul, Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1948.12.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.06.04
Died:	2019.12.01 (Azul, Argentina † 96)

Bishop of Viedma (Argentina) (1975.04.05 – 1995.06.28)

Bishop Miguel Angel Alemán Eslava, S.D.B.
(Apostolic Administrator 1968.04.08 – 1975.04.05)

Bishop José Borgatti, S.D.B.
(1953.08.28 – 1968)

Born:	1891.09.17 (Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1916.06.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.10.25
Died:	1973.10.26 († 82)

Bishop of Viedma (Argentina) (1953.08.28 – 1968)

Bishop Nicolás Esandi, S.D.B.
(1934.09.13 – 1948.08.29)

Pasce agnos meos

Born:	1876.12.06 (Argentina)
Ordained Priest:	1900.01.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.02.17
Died:	1948.08.29 († 71)

Bishop of Viedma (Argentina) (1934.09.13 – 1948.08.29)

Vicars Apostolic of Patagonia Septentrional (Roman Rite)

Bishop Giovanni Cagliero, S.D.B. (later Cardinal)
(1884.09.30 – 1904.03.24)

Recto fixus calliero

Born:	1838.01.11 (Castelnuovo d’Asti, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1862.06.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1884.12.07
Created Cardinal:	1915.12.06
Died:	1926.02.28 (Roma, Italy † 88)

Vicar Apostolic of Patagonia Septentrional (Argentina) (1884.09.30 – 1904.03.24)

Titular Bishop of Magyddus (1884.10.30 – 1904.03.24)

Titular Archbishop of Sebastia (1904.03.24 – 1915.12.06)

Apostolic Delegate to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduas (1908.08.07 – 1915.12.06)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Bernardo alle Terme (1915.12.09 – 1920.12.16)

Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati (1920.12.16 – 1926.02.28)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Marcelo Angiolo Melani, S.D.B. (1993.07.22 – 1995.06.28)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Carmelo Juan Giaquinta (later Archbishop) (1980.03.11 – 1986.06.16)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Viedma, Rio Negro
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Churches by City (17)

San Carlos de Bariloche (←), Alto Valle del Río Negro (↖), Santa Rosa (↑), Bahía Blanca (↗), Rawson (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 89,000 km²

Population: 111,388 Catholics (54.3% of 205,108 total)

Pastoral Centres: 15 parishes, 64 missions

Personnel: 10 priests (7 diocesan, 3 religious), 2 deacons, 41 religious (3 brothers, 38 sisters)