Diocese of San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela 🇻🇪

Continent: South America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: San Fernando de Apure / Sancti Ferdinandi Apuren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Calabozo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Arauca (↙), Guasdualito (←), Barinas (↖), Calabozo (↗), Ciudad Bolívar (→), Puerto Carreño (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nuestra Señora del Carmen (July 16)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: March 27

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1954.06.07: Established as Territorial Prelature of San Fernando de Apure / Sancti Ferdinandi Apuren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Calabozo and Diocese of San Cristóbal de Venezuela and became suffragan of Caracas)
1974.11.12: Promoted as Diocese of San Fernando de Apure / Sancti Ferdinandi Apuren(sis) (Latin)
1995.06.17: Became suffragan of Calabozo
2015.12.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Guasdualito

Contact Info

Address: Plaza Bolívar al lado de La Catedral Calle Bolívar, San Fernando de Apure, Estado Apure, Venezuela

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.11.21 – ...):

Bishop Elieser Antonio Rivero Barrios (50)

Ordinaries

Bishops of San Fernando de Apure (Roman Rite)

Bishop Elieser Antonio Rivero Barrios (50)
(2025.11.21 – ...)

Bishop of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela)

Deus plura scit

Born:	1975.08.15 (Carora, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	2003.10.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2026.02.21

Priest of San Felipe (Venezuela) (2003.10.18 – 2025.11.21)

Bishop of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (2025.11.21 – ...)

Bishop Alfredo Enrique Torres Rondón (76)
(2016.07.15 – 2025.11.21)

Bishop emeritus of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela)

Hombre de Dios, solidario con su pueblo

Born:	1950.03.04 (Maracaibo, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1976.07.25
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.09.13

Priest of Mérida (Venezuela) (1976.07.25 – 2013.07.15)

Titular Bishop of Sassura (2013.07.15 – 2016.07.15)

Auxiliary Bishop of Mérida (Venezuela) (2013.07.15 – 2016.07.15)

Bishop of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (2016.07.15 – 2025.11.21)

Bishop Víctor Manuel Pérez Rojas
(2001.11.07 – 2016.07.15)

Born:	1940.10.17 (Las Mercedes del Llano, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1965.09.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.06.23
Died:	2019.11.12 (Caracas, Venezuela † 79)

Titular Bishop of Tagaria (1998.05.09 – 2001.11.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Calabozo (Venezuela) (1998.05.09 – 2001.11.07)

Bishop of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (2001.11.07 – 2016.07.15)

Bishop Mariano José Parra Sandoval (78) (later Archbishop)
(1994.07.12 – 2001.07.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Coro (Venezuela)

No vine a ser servido sino a servir

Born:	1947.04.25 (Maracaibo, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1971.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.10.28

Priest of Cumaná (Venezuela) (1971.08.14 – 1994.07.12)

Bishop of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (1994.07.12 – 2001.07.10)

Bishop of Ciudad Guayana (Venezuela) (2001.07.10 – 2016.10.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Coro (Venezuela) (2016.10.25 – 2023.10.31)

Apostolic Administrator of Cumaná (Venezuela) (2024.09.08 – 2025.03.06)

Bishop Ignacio Antonio Velasco García, S.D.B. (later Cardinal)
(Apostolic Administrator 1992.05.27 – 1994.07.12)

Bishop Roberto Antonio Dávila Uzcátegui
(1974.11.12 – 1992.06.23)

Born:	1929.11.06 (Mérida, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1954.10.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.09.10
Died:	2021.10.25 (Caracas, Venezuela † 91)

Titular Bishop of Aurusuliana (1972.06.23 – 1974.11.12)

Bishop-Prelate of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (1972.06.23 – 1974.11.12)

Bishop of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (1974.11.12 – 1992.06.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (1992.06.23 – 2005.12.12)

Titular Bishop of Arindela (1992.06.23 – 2021.10.25)

Prelates of San Fernando de Apure (Roman Rite)

Bishop Roberto Antonio Dávila Uzcátegui
(1972.06.23 – 1974.11.12)

(see above)

Bishop Angel Adolfo Polachini Rodriguez
(1966.11.30 – 1971.03.25)

Born:	1919.01.27 (Altagracia de Orituco, Venezuela)
Ordained Priest:	1943.07.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.04.30
Died:	2004.01.10 († 84)

Titular Bishop of Rusticiana (1966.11.30 – 1971.03.25)

Bishop-Prelate of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) (1966.11.30 – 1971.03.25)

Bishop of Guanare (Venezuela) (1971.03.25 – 1994.04.16)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral San Fernando Rey, San Fernando, Apure
National Shrine: Santuario Nacional del Nazareno, Achaguas, Apure

Arauca (↙), Guasdualito (←), Barinas (↖), Calabozo (↗), Ciudad Bolívar (→), Puerto Carreño (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 43,536 km²

Population: 292,700 Catholics (80.0% of 365,988 total)

Pastoral Centres: 28 parishes, 7 missions

Personnel: 27 priests (diocesan), 8 deacons, 10 religious (10 sisters), 6 seminarians