Diocese of

Neiva

Colombia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Neiva / Neiven(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Ibagué

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1894.08.30: Established as Diocese of Tolima (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santafé en Nueva Granada and Diocese of Popayán and became suffragan of Santafé en Nueva Granada)
1900.05.20: Suppressed (to Diocese of Popayán and to establish Diocese of Garzón and Diocese of Ibagué)
1972.07.24: Restored as Diocese of Neiva / Neiven(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Garzón–Neiva and became suffragan of Popayán)
1974.12.14: Became suffragan of Ibagué

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.04.14 – ...):

Bishop Marco Antonio Merchán Ladino (55)

Apostolic Administrator of Tierradentro (Colombia)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Neiva (Roman Rite)

Bishop Marco Antonio Merchán Ladino (55)
(2023.04.14 – ...)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia)
Apostolic Administrator of Tierradentro (Colombia)

Tu scis quia amo te

Born:	1970.04.28 (Monguí, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1996.11.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.12.03

Priest of Duitama–Sogamoso (Colombia) (1996.11.23 – 2016.10.26)

Bishop of Vélez (Colombia) (2016.10.26 – 2023.04.14)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia) (2023.04.14 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Tierradentro (Colombia) (2024.07.29 – ...)

Bishop Froilán Tiberio Casas Ortíz (77)
(2012.02.04 – 2023.04.14)

Bishop emeritus of Neiva (Colombia)

Born:	1948.05.21 (Chiquinquirá, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1972.12.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.03.24

Priest of Tunja (Colombia) (1972.12.09 – 2012.02.04)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia) (2012.02.04 – 2023.04.14)

Bishop Ramón Darío Molina Jaramillo, O.F.M.
(2001.01.19 – 2012.02.04)

Born:	1935.08.31 (Envigado, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1961.10.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.06.29
Died:	2018.10.14 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Timici (1977.05.06 – 1984.03.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bogotá (Colombia) (1977.05.06 – 1984.03.23)

Bishop of Montería (Colombia) (1984.03.23 – 2001.01.19)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia) (2001.01.19 – 2012.02.04)

Bishop Hernando Rojas Ramirez
(1985.07.01 – 2001.01.19)

Born:	1924.12.12 (Choconta, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1947.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.06.15
Died:	2002.02.14 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Auca (1972.04.26 – 1974.12.12)

Coadjutor Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1972.04.26 – 1974.12.12)

Bishop of Espinal (Colombia) (1974.12.12 – 1985.07.01)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia) (1985.07.01 – 2001.01.19)

Bishop Rafael Sarmiento Peralta (later Archbishop)
(1972.07.24 – 1985.01.12)

Born:	1914.11.30 (Bucaramanga, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1938.04.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.01.06
Died:	2000.04.25 (Bogotá, Colombia † 85)

Bishop of Ocaña (Colombia) (1962.10.26 – 1972.07.24)

Bishop of Neiva (Colombia) (1972.07.24 – 1985.01.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (Colombia) (1985.01.12 – 1994.06.21)

Bishops of Tolima (Roman Rite)

Bishop Esteban Rojas Tobar
(1895.03.18 – 1900.05.20)

Ineffabilis Deus

Born:	1859.01.15 (El Hato, Colombia)
Ordained Priest:	1883.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1895.04.21
Died:	1933.07.28 († 74)

Bishop of Tolima (Colombia) (1895.03.18 – 1900.05.20)

Bishop of Garzón (Colombia) (1900.05.20 – 1922.07.21)

Titular Bishop of Modra (1922.07.21 – 1933.07.28)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de La Inmaculada Concepción, Neiva, Huila
Former Cathedral: Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción “la Colonial”, Neiva, Huila
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Garzón (↙), Tierradentro (←), Espinal (↑), Granada (→), San Vicente del Caguán (↘), Florencia (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 10,523 km²

Population: 522,170 Catholics (94.9% of 550,450 total)

Pastoral Centres: 65 parishes, 8 missions

Personnel: 87 priests (73 diocesan, 14 religious), 12 deacons, 89 religious (62 brothers, 27 sisters), 30 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.01.23

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