Roman Catholic Diocese of Verapaz


The Roman Catholic Diocese of Verapaz is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Guatemala.
Its cathedral episcopal see is the Catedral de Santo Domingo de Guzman, dedicated to Saint Dominic of Guzman, at Cobán, in Alta Verapaz.

History

It was erected a first time on 1561.06.21 as Diocese of Verapaz, on territory split off from the then Roman Catholic Diocese of Guatemala, as a suffragan of the Metropolitan Mexico, but was suppressed on 1603.06.23.
It was restored on 27 July 1921 albeit demoted, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Verapaz and Petén, on territory split off from the meanwhile Metropolitan Archdiocese of Guatemala, a missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction, exempt.
On 14 January 1935, it was promoted as Diocese of Vera Paz, also known after its see as Diocese of Cobán.
On 1951.03.10, it lost territory to establish the then Apostolic Administration of El Petén.
On Tuesday, 22 July 2014, according to the official Daily Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office for the day, Pope Francis appointed the incumbent Bishop of Verapaz, Cobán, Rodolfo Valenzuela Núñez, to a five-year-long, renewable term as a Member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Bishops

Episcopal ordinaries

; Colonial Suffragan Bishops of Verapaz
; Apostolic Vicars of Verapaz
; Modern Suffragan Bishops of Verapaz