Roman Catholic Diocese of Loja

Diocese of Loja

Dioecesis Loianus
Location
CountryEcuador
Ecclesiastical provinceCuenca
MetropolitanVicente Rodrigo Cisneros Durán
Statistics
Area11,476 km2 (4,431 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2004)
552,031
523,442 (94.8%)
Parishes78
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
Established29 December 1862 (161 years ago)
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopWalter Jehová Heras Segarra, O.F.M.
Map

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Loja (Latin: Dioecesis Loianus) is a diocese located in the city of Loja in the ecclesiastical province of Cuenca in Ecuador. It was erected on 29 December 1862 from territory of the Diocese of Cuenca.

Ordinaries

  • José María Massia, O.F.M. (17 Sep 1875 – 1902)
  • Juan José Antonio Eguiguren-Escudero (6 Mar 1907 – 15 Jan 1911)
  • Carlos María Javier de la Torre (30 Dec 1911 – 21 Aug 1919), appointed Bishop of Bolivar; future Cardinal
  • Guillermo José Harris Morales (7 May 1920 – 1944)
  • Nicanor Roberto Aguirre Baus (23 Oct 1945 – 10 Oct 1956)
  • Juán Maria Riofrio, O.P. (10 Oct 1956 – 24 Jun 1963)
  • Luis Alfonso Crespo Chiriboga (2 Nov 1963 – 21 Sep 1972)
  • Alberto Zambrano Palacios, O.P. (11 Dec 1972 – 2 May 1985)
  • Hugolino Cerasuolo Stacey, O.F.M. (2 May 1985 – 15 Jun 2007)
  • Julio Parrilla Díaz (18 Apr 2008 – 12 January 2013)
  • Alfredo José Espinoza Mateus, S.D.B. (20 December 2013 – 5 April 2019), appointed Archbishop of Quito
  • Walter Jehová Heras Segarra, O.F.M. (31 Oct 2019 - )

Special churches

  • National Shrine: Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora del Cisne in El Cisne

3°59′0″S 79°12′0″W / 3.98333°S 79.20000°W / -3.98333; -79.20000