Diocese of Machiques, Venezuela 🇻🇪

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Name: Machiques / Machiquesen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Maracaibo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Valledupar (↖), Maracaibo (↗), El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia (↘), Tibú (↓), San Cristóbal de Venezuela (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora del Carmen (July 16)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: July 14

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1943.05.26: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Machiques / Machiquesen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Zulia)
2011.04.09: Promoted as Diocese of Machiques / Machiquesen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Maracaibo)

Contact Info

Address: Frente a la Plaza Bolívar, Machiques, Estado Zulia, Venezuela

Present Prelates

Bishop:

vacant

Ordinaries

Bishops of Machiques (Roman Rite)

Bishop Nicolás Gregorio Nava Rojas (62)
(2019.10.19 – 2026.04.18)

Bishop of Cabimas (Venezuela)

Born:	1963.12.08 (Maracaibo, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1989.07.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2019.12.14

Priest of Cabimas (Venezuela) (1989.07.22 – 2019.10.19)

Bishop of Machiques (Venezuela) (2019.10.19 – 2026.04.18)

Bishop of Cabimas (Venezuela) (2026.04.18 – ...)

Bishop Jesús Alfonso Guerrero Contreras, O.F.M. Cap. (75)
(2011.04.09 – 2018.12.21)

Bishop of Barinas (Venezuela)

Born:	1951.01.13 (La Pedregoza, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1977.12.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.01.20

Titular Bishop of Leptiminus (1995.12.06 – 2011.04.09)

Vicar Apostolic of Caroní (Venezuela) (1995.12.06 – 2011.04.09)

Bishop of Machiques (Venezuela) (2011.04.09 – 2018.12.21)

Bishop of Barinas (Venezuela) (2018.12.21 – ...)

Vicars Apostolic of Machiques (Roman Rite)

Bishop Ramiro Díaz Sánchez, O.M.I. (91)
(1997.01.24 – 2011.04.09)

Titular Bishop of Lari Castellum
Vicar Apostolic emeritus of Machiques (Venezuela)

Born:	1934.09.14 (Villaverde de Arcayos, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1959.03.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.04.26

Vicar Apostolic of Machiques (Venezuela) (1997.01.24 – 2011.04.09)

Titular Bishop of Lari Castellum (1997.01.24 – ...)

Bishop Agustín Romualdo Alvarez Rodríguez, O.F.M. Cap.
(1986.03.10 – 1995.10.07)

Born:	1923.02.11 (Renedo de Valdetuéjar, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1949.03.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.06.07
Died:	2011.08.11 († 88)

Vicar Apostolic of Machiques (Venezuela) (1986.03.10 – 1995.10.07)

Titular Bishop of Nasbinca (1986.03.10 – 2011.08.11)

Bishop Miguel Saturnino Aurrecoechea Palacios, O.F.M. Cap.
(1955.12.19 – 1986.03.10)

Born:	1904.01.01 (Villaverde, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1936.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.05.27
Died:	1997.09.08 († 93)

Vicar Apostolic of Machiques (Venezuela) (1955.12.19 – 1986.03.10)

Titular Bishop of Doliche (1955.12.19 – 1997.09.08)

Bishop Ángel Turrado Moreno, O.F.M. Cap.
(1944.09.04 – 1954.01)

Born:	1903.12.24 (Pinilla, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1929.05.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1944.12.17
Died:	1961.05.08 († 57)

Vicar Apostolic of Machiques (Venezuela) (1944.09.04 – 1954.01)

Titular Bishop of Assus (1944.09.04 – 1961.05.08)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Machiques, Zulia

Valledupar (↖), Maracaibo (↗), El Vigía–San Carlos del Zulia (↘), Tibú (↓), San Cristóbal de Venezuela (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 25,300 km²

Population: 292,000 Catholics (81.1% of 359,918 total)

Pastoral Centres: 17 parishes

Personnel: 17 priests (14 diocesan, 3 religious), 1 deacon, 32 religious (7 brothers, 25 sisters), 10 seminarians