Roman Catholic Diocese of Bluefields
{{short description|Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Nicaragua}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Diocese
| name = Bluefields
| latin = Dioecesis Bluefieldensis
| local =
| image = Cathedral Holy Rosary in Bluefields, Nicaragua.jpg
| image_size = frameless
| image_alt =
| caption = Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Bluefields in 2023
| country = Nicaragua
| metropolitan = Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano
| territory =
| province = Province of Managua
| coordinates =
| area_km2 = 19,964
| population = 457,565
| population_as_of = 2017
| catholics = 260,838
| catholics_percent = 57
| parishes = 10
| churches =
| congregations =
| schools =
| members =
| denomination = Catholic Church
| sui_iuris_church = Latin Church
| rite = Roman Rite
| established = 2 December 1913 ({{age|1913|12|2}} years ago)
| cathedral = Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary
| cocathedral =
| patron =
| priests =
| pope = {{Incumbent pope}}
| bishop_title = Diocesan Bishop
| bishop = Francisco José Tigerino Dávila
| coadjutor =
| auxiliary_bishops =
| vicar_general =
| emeritus_bishops = Pablo Ervin Schmitz Simon, OFMCap
| map = Nicaragua - Vicariato apostolico di Bluefields.png
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
The Diocese of Bluefields ({{langx|la|Dioecesis Bluefieldensis}}) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. The Vicariate Apostolic of Bluefields had been erected on December 2, 1913 and had grown to approximately 587,000 Catholics by 2017. On November 30, 2017 the Vicariate Apostolic of Bluefields was elevated to a diocese and a second diocese (the Diocese of Siuna) was created, taking approximately 60% of the Catholics that had formerly been in the Vicariate Apostolic of Bluefields. The current bishop is Francisco José Tigerino Dávila.
History
- February 12, 1913: Established as Vicariate Apostolic of Bluefields, on territory split off from the Diocese of León in Nicaragua
- November 30, 2017: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Siuna
- November 30, 2017: Elevated as to the status of diocese
Ordinaries
- Agustín José Bernaus y Serra, OFMCap (1913–1930)
- Juan Solá y Farrell, OFMCap (1931–1942)
- Matteo Aloisio Niedhammer y Yaeckle, OFMCap (1943–1970)
- Salvador Albert Schlaefer Berg, OFMCap (1970–1993)
- Pablo Ervin Schmitz Simon, OFMCap (1994–2020)
- Francisco José Tigerino Dávila (2020– )
Auxiliary bishops
- Pablo Ervin Schmitz Simon, OFMCap (1984-1994), appointed Vicar Apostolic here
- David Albin Zywiec Sidor, OFMCap (2002–2017)
See also
External links
- {{cite web|title = Vicariate Apostolic of Bluefields|work=Catholic-Hierarchy|url =http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dblue.html|accessdate=2007-03-03| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070204114418/http://catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dblue.html| archivedate= 4 February 2007 | url-status= live}}
{{coord missing|Nicaragua}}
{{Roman Catholic dioceses in the Nicaragua}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bluefields}}
Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Nicaragua
Category:Christian organizations established in 1913
Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
Category:1913 establishments in Nicaragua
{{RC-diocese-stub}}