Diocese of

El Alto

Bolivia

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: El Alto / Altan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: La Paz

Neighbouring Dioceses: Juli (←), Coroico (↗), La Paz (→), Corocoro (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora de Copacabana (February 2), Saint John Bosco (January 31)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: August 28

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1994.06.25: Established as Diocese of El Alto / Altan(us) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of La Paz and became suffragan of La Paz)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2021.03.30 – ...):

Bishop Giovani Edgar Arana (51)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia

Ordinaries

Bishops of El Alto (Roman Rite)

Bishop Giovani Edgar Arana (51)
(2021.03.30 – ...)

Bishop of El Alto (Bolivia)
General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia

Cum Dei audiens et pulsum temporis sentiens

Born:	1974.05.23 (La Paz, Bolivia)
Ordained Priest:	2004.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.07.25

Priest of La Paz (Bolivia) (2004.12.08 – 2018.03.27)

Titular Bishop of Muteci (2018.03.27 – 2021.03.30)

Auxiliary Bishop of El Alto (Bolivia) (2018.03.27 – 2021.03.30)

Apostolic Administrator of El Alto (Bolivia) (2020.07.16 – 2021.03.30)

Bishop of El Alto (Bolivia) (2021.03.30 – ...)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (2021.11.12 – ...)

Bishop Giovani Edgar Arana (51)
(Apostolic Administrator 2020.07.16 – 2021.03.30)

Bishop Eugenio Scarpellini
(2013.07.26 – 2020.07.15)

In ministero obediens

Born:	1954.01.08 (Verdellino, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1978.06.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.09.09
Died:	2020.07.15 (El Alto, Bolivia † 66)

Priest of Bergamo (Italy) (1978.06.17 – 2010.07.15)

Titular Bishop of Bida (2010.07.15 – 2013.07.26)

Auxiliary Bishop of El Alto (Bolivia) (2010.07.15 – 2013.07.26)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (2012.12 – 2015.11.06)

Bishop of El Alto (Bolivia) (2013.07.26 – 2020.07.15)

Died of COVID-19.

Bishop Jesús Juárez Párraga, S.D.B. (82) (later Archbishop)
(1994.06.25 – 2013.02.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Sucre (Bolivia)

Omnibus bene facere

Born:	1943.07.22 (Alquerias, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1972.12.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.06.18

Titular Bishop of Gummi in Proconsulari (1988.04.16 – 1994.06.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of La Paz (Bolivia) (1988.04.16 – 1994.06.25)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (1991 – 1994)

Bishop of El Alto (Bolivia) (1994.06.25 – 2013.02.02)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (1997 – 2000)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (2000 – 2003)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (2003 – 2009)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Sucre (Bolivia) (2013.02.02 – 2020.02.11)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pascual Limachi Ortiz (62) (2019.04.16 – 2021.02.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Giovani Edgar Arana (51) (2018.03.27 – 2021.03.30)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Fernando Bascopé Müller, S.D.B. (63) (2010.07.15 – 2014.09.24)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Eugenio Scarpellini (2010.07.15 – 2013.07.26)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, El Alto, La Paz
Minor Basilica: Basílica de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, La Paz

Juli (←), Coroico (↗), La Paz (→), Corocoro (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 23,000 km²

Population: 903,700 Catholics (56.9% of 1,587,270 total)

Pastoral Centres: 60 parishes

Personnel: 57 priests (42 diocesan, 15 religious), 47 deacons, 32 religious (18 brothers, 14 sisters), 8 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

© 2026 GCatholic.org