Catholic-Hierarchy DC (’Ç‹L) (’Ç‹L‚±‚±‚Ü‚Å)

Archdiocese of Santo Domingo

Archidioecesis Sancti Dominici

Bishop(s)

Francisco Ozoria Acosta , Archbishop
Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán, Coadjutor Archbishop
Jos? Amable Durán Tineo, Auxiliary Bishop
Nicolás de Jes?s L?pez Rodr?guez, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus
Ram?n Benito ƒ`ngeles Fernández, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 12 February 1546
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Dominican Republic
Square Kilometers: 3,406 (1,315 Square Miles)
Description: Distrito Nacional, Santo Domingo Norte, Santo Domingo Oeste, Los Alcarrizos, Pedro Brand, Monte Plata, Bayaguana, Yamas?, Peralvillo, and Sabana Grande de Boy?
Official Web Site: https://arquidiocesisd.org
Mailing Address: Arzobispado, Apartado 186, Calle Isabel la Católica 55, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
Telephone: (809)685-3141/3; 622-1221

Historical Details

Diocese of Santo Domingo
- Latin Name: Sancti Dominici
- Erected: 8 August 1511
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Sevilla {Seville}
- Country: Dominican Republic

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francisco Garcia de Padilla, O.F.M. Obs. † (13 Aug 1511 Appointed - 1515 Died)
Alejandro Geraldini (Gerardini, Gueraldini) † (23 Nov 1516 Appointed - 8 Mar 1524 Died)
Luis de Figueroa, O.S.H. † ( 1525 Appointed - 1526 Died)
Sebastián Ram?rez de Fuenleal (Arellano) † (23 Dec 1528 Appointed - 29 Jul 1538 Appointed, Bishop of Tuy)
Alfonso de Fuenmayor † (27 Oct 1538 Appointed - 1 Mar 1554 Died)
Diego de Covarrubias y Leiva † (24 Apr 1556 Appointed - 26 Jan 1560 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Ciudad Rodrigo)
Juan Salcedo † (9 Jan 1562 Appointed - Dec 1562 Died)
Juan Alz?loras (Arzolaras), O.S.H. † (15 Feb 1566 Appointed - 17 Sep 1568 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Islas Canarias {Canary Islands})
Francisco Andrés de Carvajal, O.F.M. Obs. † (10 May 1570 Appointed - 28 Aug 1577 Died)
Alfonso L?pez de Avila † (14 Mar 1580 Appointed - 29 Nov 1591 Appointed, Archbishop of Santaf? en Nueva Granada)
Nicolás de Ramos y Santos, O.F.M. Obs. † (13 Jul 1592 Appointed - 1 Dec 1599 Died)
Agust?n Dávila y Padilla, O.P. † (17 Aug 1599 Appointed - 26 Jul 1604 Died)
Domingo Valderrama y Centeno, O.P. † (25 Sep 1606 Appointed - 28 May 1608 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of La Paz)
Crist?bal Rodr?guez Juárez (Suárez), O.P. † (2 Jun 1608 Appointed - 16 Jan 1612 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Arequipa)
Diego de Contreras, O.S.A. † (18 Jun 1612 Appointed - 24 Apr 1618 Died)
Pedro de Solier y Vargas, O.E.S.A. † (16 Dec 1619 Appointed - 9 Jul 1620 Died)
Pedro de Oviedo Falconi, O. Cist. † (11 Jan 1621 Appointed - 10 Jul 1628 Confirmed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Quito)
Fernando de Vera y Zu?iga, O.S.A. † (13 Nov 1628 Appointed - 16 Jul 1629 Confirmed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Cuzco)
Bernardino de Almansa Carri?n † (17 Sep 1629 Appointed - 15 Dec 1631 Confirmed, Archbishop of Santaf? en Nueva Granada)
Facundo (Fernando) de la Torre, O.S.B. † (2 Jan 1632 Confirmed - 25 Sep 1640 Died)
Diego de Guevara y Estrada † (13 Jan 1642 Confirmed - Apr 1642 Died)
Maestro Valderas, O. de M. † ( 1647 Appointed - 1648 Resigned)
Francisco Pio Guadalupe Téllez † (23 Nov 1648 Appointed - 5 Mar 1660 Died)
Francisco de la Cueva Maldonado † (21 Aug 1662 Appointed - 15 Oct 1667 Died)
Juan de Escalante Turcios y Mendoza † (27 Feb 1673 Confirmed - 29 Apr 1680 Confirmed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Yucatán (Mérida))
Domingo Fernández Navarrete, O.P. † (4 May 1682 Appointed - 26 Feb 1686 Died)
Fernando de Carvajal y Ribera (Rivera), O. de M. † (3 Mar 1687 Appointed - Dec 1700 Resigned)
Francisco del Rinc?n, O.M. † (14 Dec 1705 Appointed - 26 Feb 1714 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela)
Antonio Claudio Alvarez de Qui?ones † (12 Apr 1717 Appointed - 29 Jan 1725 Appointed, Archbishop of Santaf? en Nueva Granada)
Francisco Mendiga?o Armendáriz † (8 Apr 1726 Appointed - 30 Oct 1728 Died)
Juan de Galabis, O. Praem. † (28 Nov 1729 Confirmed - 3 Mar 1738 Confirmed, Archbishop of Santaf? en Nueva Granada)
Domingo Pantale?n ƒ`lvarez de Abreu † (3 Mar 1738 Confirmed - 20 May 1743 Confirmed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Tlaxcala (Puebla de los Angeles))
Ignacio Padilla Estrada (Guardiola), O.S.A. † (20 May 1743 Confirmed - 28 May 1753 Confirmed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Yucatán (Mérida))
Jos? Moreno Curiel, O.SS.T. † (28 May 1753 Confirmed - 27 Nov 1755 Died)
Felipe Ruiz de Ausmendi † (28 Mar 1757 Appointed - 8 Sep 1766 Died)
Isidro Rodr?guez Lorenzo, O.S.Bas. † (14 Dec 1767 Appointed - 12 Sep 1788 Retired)
Fernando del Portillo y Torres, O.P. † (15 Sep 1788 Appointed - 29 Oct 1798 Appointed, Archbishop of Santaf? en Nueva Granada)
Pedro Valera y Jiménez † (14 Apr 1817 Appointed - 19 Mar 1833 Died)
Tomás de Portes e Infante † (20 Jan 1848 Appointed - 8 Apr 1858 Died)
Antonio Cerezano Camarena † (27 Jan 1860 Appointed - 11 Jul 1860 Died)
Bienvenido Monz?n y Mart?n † (7 Apr 1862 Confirmed - 8 Jun 1866 Confirmed, Archbishop of Granada)
Leopoldo Angelo Santanch?, O.F.M. Ref. † (3 Mar 1871 Appointed - 13 Nov 1874 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Constantinople)
Rocco Cocchia, O.F.M. Cap. † (28 Jul 1874 Appointed - 9 Aug 1883 Appointed, Archbishop of Otranto)
Fernando Antonio Arturo de Merino y Ram?rez † (3 Jul 1885 Appointed - 20 Aug 1906 Died)
Adolfo Alejandro Nouel y Bobadilla † (20 Aug 1906 Succeeded - 11 Oct 1935 Resigned)
Ricardo Pittini Piussi, S.D.B. † (11 Oct 1935 Appointed - 10 Dec 1961 Died)
Octavio Antonio Beras Rojas † (10 Dec 1961 Succeeded - 15 Nov 1981 Retired)
Nicolás de Jes?s L?pez Rodr?guez (15 Nov 1981 Appointed - 4 Jul 2016 Retired)
Francisco Ozoria Acosta (4 Jul 2016 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Santo Domingo
8 August 1511	Erected	Diocese of Santo Domingo (erected)
11 February 1516	Territory Lost	Diocese of Santo Domingo	Diocese of Baracoa (All Cuba) (Nuestra Se?ora de la Asunci?n de Baracoa) (erected)
10 January 1534	Territory Lost	Diocese of Santo Domingo	Diocese of Santa Marta (erected)
3 November 1534	Territory Lost	Diocese of Santo Domingo	Diocese of Nicaragua (erected)
18 December 1534	Territory Lost	Diocese of Santo Domingo	Diocese of Santiago de Guatemala (erected)
Archdiocese of Santo Domingo
12 February 1546	Elevated	Diocese of Santo Domingo	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo
3 October 1861	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo	Diocese of Cap-Ha?tien (erected) Diocese of Les Cayes (erected) Diocese of Les Gona?ves (erected) Diocese of Port-de-Paix (erected)
3 October 1861	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (West department)	Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince (erected)
25 September 1953	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (Le Vega, Duarte, Saman?, and Sánchez Ram?rez)	Diocese of La Vega (erected)
25 September 1953	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (S. Rafael, Benefactor, Baoruco, Independencia, Barahona, and Azua)	Territorial Prelature of San Juan de la Maguana (erected)
25 September 1953	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (Monte Cristi, Libertador, Santiago Rodr?guez, Puerto Plata, Santiago, Espaillat, and Salcedo)	Diocese of Santiago de los Caballeros (erected)
25 September 1953	Elevated	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (becomes a Metropolitan (again))
1 April 1959	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (La Altagracia and El Seibo)	Diocese of Nuestra Se?ora de la Altagracia en Hig?ey (erected)
8 November 1986	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (Peravia and San Crist?bal)	Diocese of Ban? (erected)
1 February 1997	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nuestra Se?ora de la Altagracia en Hig?ey (Hato Mayor) Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (San Pedro de Macoris)	Diocese of San Pedro de Macor?s (erected)
27 August 2025	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo Este, San Antonio de Guerra, and Boca Chica)	Diocese of Stella Maris (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Santo Domingo

1950 2,165,000 2,185,000 99.1% 41 117 158 13,702 94 331 65 ap1951

1964 996,390 1,016,775 98.0% 34 141 175 5,693 232 611 42 ap1967

1970 1,084,818 1,356,073 80.0% 24 179 203 5,343 258 721 65 ap1971

1976 1,573,998 1,748,886 90.0% 29 221 250 6,295 321 797 82 ap1977

1980 1,941,000 2,066,000 93.9% 35 211 246 7,890 5 328 797 83 ap1981

1990 1,736,000 1,925,000 90.2% 53 185 238 7,294 16 586 647 109 ap1991

1999 2,502,617 2,634,334 95.0% 87 238 325 7,700 19 430 808 141 ap2000

2000 2,524,717 2,698,898 93.5% 99 243 342 7,382 21 394 802 137 ap2001

2001 2,586,893 2,874,326 90.0% 105 253 358 7,225 22 425 838 152 ap2002

2002 2,810,778 2,960,556 94.9% 119 264 383 7,338 23 483 869 161 ap2003

2003 2,895,101 3,049,372 94.9% 149 264 413 7,009 44 392 888 171 ap2004

2004 3,110,311 3,274,012 95.0% 139 269 408 7,623 68 372 894 186 ap2005

2010 4,890,250 5,770,529 84.7% 174 283 457 10,700 155 543 2,226 212 ap2011

2014 3,457,347 3,639,313 95.0% 190 288 478 7,232 159 610 2,235 214 ap2015

2017 3,511,280 3,900,703 90.0% 210 294 504 6,966 166 653 2,280 216 ap2018

2020 3,607,400 4,007,194 90.0% 227 168 395 9,132 158 546 1,063 215 ap2021

2022 3,850,000 4,277,000 90.0% 238 168 406 9,482 209 510 1,063 215 ap2023

2023 3,880,000 4,311,000 90.0% 239 168 407 9,533 209 510 1,063 215 ap2024

2025 2,539,412 2,906,306 87.4% 150 166 316 8,036 132 37 448 156 bul:27Aug2025

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Santo Domingo
1950	2,165,000	2,185,000	99.1%	41	117	158	13,702		94	331	65	ap1951
1964	996,390	1,016,775	98.0%	34	141	175	5,693		232	611	42	ap1967
1970	1,084,818	1,356,073	80.0%	24	179	203	5,343		258	721	65	ap1971
1976	1,573,998	1,748,886	90.0%	29	221	250	6,295		321	797	82	ap1977
1980	1,941,000	2,066,000	93.9%	35	211	246	7,890	5	328	797	83	ap1981
1990	1,736,000	1,925,000	90.2%	53	185	238	7,294	16	586	647	109	ap1991
1999	2,502,617	2,634,334	95.0%	87	238	325	7,700	19	430	808	141	ap2000
2000	2,524,717	2,698,898	93.5%	99	243	342	7,382	21	394	802	137	ap2001
2001	2,586,893	2,874,326	90.0%	105	253	358	7,225	22	425	838	152	ap2002
2002	2,810,778	2,960,556	94.9%	119	264	383	7,338	23	483	869	161	ap2003
2003	2,895,101	3,049,372	94.9%	149	264	413	7,009	44	392	888	171	ap2004
2004	3,110,311	3,274,012	95.0%	139	269	408	7,623	68	372	894	186	ap2005
2010	4,890,250	5,770,529	84.7%	174	283	457	10,700	155	543	2,226	212	ap2011
2014	3,457,347	3,639,313	95.0%	190	288	478	7,232	159	610	2,235	214	ap2015
2017	3,511,280	3,900,703	90.0%	210	294	504	6,966	166	653	2,280	216	ap2018
2020	3,607,400	4,007,194	90.0%	227	168	395	9,132	158	546	1,063	215	ap2021
2022	3,850,000	4,277,000	90.0%	238	168	406	9,482	209	510	1,063	215	ap2023
2023	3,880,000	4,311,000	90.0%	239	168	407	9,533	209	510	1,063	215	ap2024
2025	2,539,412	2,906,306	87.4%	150	166	316	8,036	132	37	448	156	bul:27Aug2025

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated People, Living

Ram?n Benito ƒ`ngeles Fernández (Priest: 2002; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Jul 2017 to 18 Mar 2024)
Freddy Antonio de Jes?s Bret?n Mart?nez
Faustino Burgos Brisman, C.M. (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Jul 2017 to 17 Aug 2024)
Gabriel Antonio Camilo González (Priest: 1 Jul 1962 to 10 Oct 1992)
Jes?s Castro Marte (Priest: 13 Jun 1995; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Jul 2017 to 30 May 2020)
Jes?s Mar?a de Jes?s Moya
Ram?n Benito de La Rosa y Carpio (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Dec 1988 to 25 Mar 1995)
Jos? Amable Durán Tineo (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 Jun 2020)
Rafael Le?nidas Felipe y N??ez
Jos? Dolores Grull?n Estrella
Nicolás de Jes?s L?pez Rodr?guez (Archbishop: 15 Nov 1981 to 4 Jul 2016)
Victor Emilio Masalles Pere (Priest: 7 Jul 1991; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 May 2010 to 14 Dec 2016)
Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán (Coadjutor Archbishop: 18 Oct 2025)
Francisco Ozoria Acosta (Archbishop: 4 Jul 2016 - )
Manuel Antonio Ru?z de la Rosa (Priest: 10 Jul 1993 to 27 Aug 2025)

Affiliated People, Deceased

Bernardino de Almansa Carri?n † (Archbishop: 17 Sep 1629 to 15 Dec 1631)
Domingo Pantale?n ƒ`lvarez de Abreu † (Archbishop: 3 Mar 1738 to 20 May 1743)
Antonio Claudio Alvarez de Qui?ones † (Archbishop: 12 Apr 1717 to 29 Jan 1725)
Juan Alz?loras (Arzolaras), O.S.H. † (Archbishop: 15 Feb 1566 to 17 Sep 1568)
Francisco Jos? Arnáiz Zarandona, S.J. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Dec 1988 to 31 Jul 2002)
Juan de Jes?s Fabián Ayala y Garc?a † (Deacon: 1815; Priest: 1815 to 22 Aug 1879)
Octavio Antonio Beras Rojas † (Priest: 13 Aug 1933; Coadjutor Archbishop: 2 May 1945; Archbishop: 10 Dec 1961 to 15 Nov 1981)
Francisco Andrés de Carvajal, O.F.M. Obs. † (Archbishop: 10 May 1570 to 28 Aug 1577)
Fernando de Carvajal y Ribera (Rivera), O. de M. † (Archbishop: 3 Mar 1687 to Dec 1700)
Pablo Cedano Cedano † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 May 1996 to 31 Oct 2013)
Antonio Cerezano Camarena † (Priest: 1821; Archbishop: 27 Jan 1860 to 11 Jul 1860)
Rocco Cocchia, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 28 Jul 1874 to 9 Aug 1883)
Diego de Contreras, O.S.A. † (Archbishop: 18 Jun 1612 to 24 Apr 1618)
Diego de Covarrubias y Leiva † (Archbishop: 24 Apr 1556 to 26 Jan 1560)
Agust?n Dávila y Padilla, O.P. † (Archbishop: 17 Aug 1599 to 26 Jul 1604)
Francisco de la Cueva Maldonado † (Archbishop: 21 Aug 1662 to 15 Oct 1667)
Facundo (Fernando) de la Torre, O.S.B. † (Archbishop: 2 Jan 1632 to 25 Sep 1640)
Francisco del Rinc?n, O.M. † (Archbishop: 14 Dec 1705 to 26 Feb 1714)
Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, P.S.S. †
Juan de Escalante Turcios y Mendoza † (Archbishop: 27 Feb 1673 to 29 Apr 1680)
Amancio Escapa Aparicio, O.C.D. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 May 1996 to 4 Jul 2016)
Domingo Fernández Navarrete, O.P. † (Archbishop: 4 May 1682 to 26 Feb 1686)
Luis de Figueroa, O.S.H. † (Bishop: 1525 to 1526)
Alfonso de Fuenmayor † (Bishop: 27 Oct 1538; Archbishop: 12 Feb 1546 to 1 Mar 1554)
Juan de Galabis, O. Praem. † (Archbishop: 28 Nov 1729 to 3 Mar 1738)
Felipe Antonio Gallego Gorgojo, S.J. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 May 1945 to 1951)
Francisco Garcia de Padilla, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 13 Aug 1511 to 1515)
Alejandro Geraldini (Gerardini, Gueraldini) † (Bishop: 23 Nov 1516 to 8 Mar 1524)
Diego de Guevara y Estrada † (Archbishop: 13 Jan 1642 to Apr 1642)
Alfonso L?pez de Avila † (Archbishop: 14 Mar 1580 to 29 Nov 1591)
Luis Antonio de Mena y Steinkoft † (Priest: 19 Sep 1896; Coadjutor Archbishop: 21 Apr 1922 to 1932)
Francisco Mendiga?o Armendáriz † (Archbishop: 8 Apr 1726 to 30 Oct 1728)
Fernando Antonio Arturo de Merino y Ram?rez † (Deacon: 27 Jun 1855; Priest: 24 Apr 1856; Archbishop: 3 Jul 1885 to 20 Aug 1906)
Bienvenido Monz?n y Mart?n † (Archbishop: 7 Apr 1862 to 8 Jun 1866)
Jos? Moreno Curiel, O.SS.T. † (Archbishop: 28 May 1753 to 27 Nov 1755)
Adolfo Alejandro Nouel y Bobadilla † (Priest: 19 Dec 1885; Coadjutor Archbishop: 11 Oct 1904; Archbishop: 20 Aug 1906 to 11 Oct 1935)
Pedro de Oviedo Falconi, O. Cist. † (Archbishop: 11 Jan 1621 to 10 Jul 1628)
Ignacio Padilla Estrada (Guardiola), O.S.A. † (Archbishop: 20 May 1743 to 28 May 1753)
Juan Félix Pepén y Soliman † (Priest: 29 Jun 1947 to 1 Apr 1959; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 May 1975 to 11 Feb 1995)
Ricardo Pittini Piussi, S.D.B. † (Archbishop: 11 Oct 1935 to 10 Dec 1961)
Hugo Eduardo Polanco Brito † (Apostolic Administrator: 14 Mar 1966; Coadjutor Archbishop: 20 Jan 1970 to 10 May 1975)
Tomás de Portes e Infante † (Archbishop: 20 Jan 1848 to 8 Apr 1858)
Fernando del Portillo y Torres, O.P. † (Archbishop: 15 Sep 1788 to 29 Oct 1798)
Sebastián Ram?rez de Fuenleal (Arellano) † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1528 to 29 Jul 1538)
Nicolás de Ramos y Santos, O.F.M. Obs. † (Archbishop: 13 Jul 1592 to 1 Dec 1599)
Fabio Mamerto Rivas Santos, S.D.B. †
Crist?bal Rodr?guez Juárez (Suárez), O.P. † (Archbishop: 2 Jun 1608 to 16 Jan 1612)
Isidro Rodr?guez Lorenzo, O.S.Bas. † (Archbishop: 14 Dec 1767 to 12 Sep 1788)
El?as Rodr?guez Ortiz † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 19 Mar 1857 to 29 Nov 1857)
Felipe Ruiz de Ausmendi † (Archbishop: 28 Mar 1757 to 8 Sep 1766)
Juan Salcedo † (Archbishop: 9 Jan 1562 to Dec 1562)
Leopoldo Angelo Santanch?, O.F.M. Ref. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Mar 1871 to 13 Nov 1874)
Pedro de Solier y Vargas, O.E.S.A. † (Archbishop: 16 Dec 1619 to 9 Jul 1620)
Pr?amo Pericles Tejeda Rosario † (Priest: 11 May 1966; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 May 1975 to 8 Nov 1986)
Francisco Pio Guadalupe Téllez † (Archbishop: 23 Nov 1648 to 5 Mar 1660)
Maestro Valderas, O. de M. † (Archbishop: 1647 to 1648)
Domingo Valderrama y Centeno, O.P. † (Archbishop: 25 Sep 1606 to 28 May 1608)
Pedro Valera y Jiménez † (Archbishop: 14 Apr 1817 to 19 Mar 1833)
Fernando de Vera y Zu?iga, O.S.A. † (Archbishop: 13 Nov 1628 to 16 Jul 1629)