Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid

Coordinates: 40°24′56″N 3°42′53″W / 40.4156°N 3.7146°W / 40.4156; -3.7146
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Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madrid

Archidioecesis Metropolitae Matritensis

Archidiócesis Metropolitana de Madrid
Location
CountrySpain
Ecclesiastical provinceMadrid
Statistics
Area3,663 km2 (1,414 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2019)
4,146,225
3,316,800 (80%)
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established
  • 7 March 1885 as the Diocese of Madrid
  • 25 March 1964 as the Archdiocese of Madrid
  • 23 July 1991 as the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madrid
CathedralCathedral of Our Lady of Almudena in Madrid
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
Metropolitan ArchbishopJosé Cobo Cano
SuffragansDiocese of Alcalá de Henares
Diocese of Getafe
Auxiliary BishopsJuan Antonio Martínez Camino
Bishops emeritus
Map
Website
Website of the Archdiocese

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madrid (Latin: Archidioecesis Metropolitae Matritensis) is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Spain. It is one of Spain's fourteen metropolitan archbishoprics. Since 12 June 2023 the archbishop of Madrid has been José Cobo Cano.

Although Madrid has been the seat of the Spanish Crown since 1561, the diocese was only created in the late 19th century and gained the status of an archdiocese in 1991. Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is the Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena, in Spain's national capital Madrid. The metropolitan city area also has several minor basilicas: the Basílica Ex-Catedral de San Isidro (the former pro-cathedral), the Basílica de San Lorenzo (a World Heritage Site, in El Escorial), the Basílica de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora (dedicated to the Assumption, in Colmenar Viejo), the Basílica de la Concepción de Nuestra Señora, the Basílica de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Medinaceli, the Basílica de San Vicente de Paul (Milagrosa), the Basílica de Santa Cruz (dedicated to the Holy Cross, in El Valle de los Caídos), the Basílica Pontificia de San Miguel, the Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha (royal, a National Shrine), the Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande (also royal).

History[edit]

It was founded on 7 March 1885 by Pope Leo XIII as the Diocese of Madrid y Alcalá de Henares / Matriten(sis) et Compluten(sis) (Latin adjective), on canonical territory split off from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo.[1] It was made the Archdiocese of Madrid on 25 March 1964 by Pope Paul VI. Pope John Paul II gave the Archdiocese Metropolitan status on 23 July 1991, while creating two suffragan dioceses split off from its territory: Getafe and Alcalá de Henares. The archdiocese hosted papal visits from Pope John Paul II (1982.10, 1982.11, 1993.06, 2003.05) and Pope Benedict XVI (August 2011).

On 20 January 2021, a large explosion damaged Our Lady of Paloma parish in downtown Madrid, and killed four men, including a parishioner and a priest of the parish, Ruben Perez Ayala. Perez had been ordained to the priesthood six months before. The explosion was caused by a gas leak in a boiler which the parishioner, David Santos Munoz, an electrician, had been called to inspect.[2]

Statistics[edit]

As per 2014, it pastorally served 3,553,000 Catholics (86.7% of 4,099,700 total) on 3,663 km² in 482 parishes and 108 missions with 3,107 priests (1,417 diocesan, 1,690 religious), 31 deacons, 9,082 lay religious (2,245 brothers, 6,837 sisters) and 204 seminarians.

Ecclesiastical province[edit]

Its only suffragan sees are its daughters :

Ordinaries[edit]

Suffragan Bishops of Madrid
Archbishops of Madrid
  • Casimiro Morcillo González (27 Mar 1964 – death 30 May 1971), Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1966 – 1969), President of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1969 – 30 May 1971); previously Titular Bishop of Agathopolis (25 Jan 1943 – 13 May 1950) as Auxiliary Bishop of Madrid y Alcalá de Henares (25 Jan 1943 – 13 May 1950), Bishop of Bilbao (Spain) (13 May 1950 – 21 Sep 1955), Metropolitan Archbishop of Zaragoza (Spain) (21 Sep 1955 – 27 Mar 1964), Undersecretary of Central Commission for the Coordination of the Postconciliar Work and the Interpretation of Conciliar Resolutions (1962 – 1967)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Maximino Romero de Lema (15 Jun 1964 – 19 Oct 1968), Titular Bishop of Horta, Africa (15 Jun 1964 – 19 Oct 1968); later Bishop of Ávila (Spain) (19 Oct 1968 – 21 Mar 1973), Secretary of Commission of Cardinals for the Pontifical Shrines of Pompeii, Loreto and Bari (1973 – 1986), Secretary of Congregation for Clergy (21 Mar 1973 – 1986), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Novigrad (Cittanova) (21 Mar 1973 – death 29 Oct 1996)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: José Guerra Campos (15 Jun 1964 – 13 Apr 1973), Titular Bishop of Mutia (15 Jun 1964 – 13 Apr 1973); later Secretary General of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1966 – 1972), Bishop of Cuenca (Spain) (13 Apr 1973 – retired 26 Jun 1996); died 1997
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Angel Morta Figuls (19 Jan 1965 – death 21 Jun 1972), Titular Bishop of Gubaliana (19 Jan 1965 – 21 Jun 1972)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Ramón Echarren Istúriz (17 Nov 1969 – 27 Nov 1978), Titular Bishop of Denia (17 Nov 1969 – 27 Nov 1978); later Bishop of Islas Canarias (Canary Islands, Spain) (27 Nov 1978 – retired 26 Nov 2005), died 2014
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Ricardo Blanco Granda (17 Nov 1969 – death 2 Aug 1986), Titular Bishop of Cincari (17 Nov 1969 – 2 Aug 1986)
    • Apostolic Administrator Vicente Enrique y Tarancón (30 May 1971 – 3 Dec 1971 see below) while Metropolitan Archbishop of Toledo (Spain) (30 Jan 1969 – 3 Dec 1971), created Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Crisostomo a Monte Sacro Alto (30 Apr 1969 – 28 Nov 1994), President of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1971 – 1981); previously Bishop of Solsona (Spain) (25 Nov 1945 – 12 Apr 1964), Metropolitan Archbishop of Oviedo (Spain) (12 Apr 1964 – 30 Jan 1969), Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1969 – 1971)
  • Vicente Enrique y Tarancón (see above 3 Dec 1971 – retired 12 Apr 1983), died 1994
  • Angel Suquía Goicoechea (12 Apr 1983 – 23 Jul 1991), previously Bishop of Almería (Spain) (17 May 1966 – 28 Nov 1969), Bishop of Málaga (Spain) (28 Nov 1969 – 13 Apr 1973), Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) (13 Apr 1973 – 12 Apr 1983)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Francisco José Pérez y Fernández-Golfin (20 Mar 1985 – 23 Jul 1991), Titular Bishop of Tigillava (20 Mar 1985 – 23 Jul 1991); next Bishop of Getafe (Spain) (23 Jul 1991 – death 24 Feb 2004)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Agustín García-Gasco y Vicente (20 Mar 1985 – 24 Jul 1992), Titular Bishop of Nin (20 Mar 1985 – 24 Jul 1992), Secretary General of Episcopal Conference of Spain (1988 – 1993); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia (Spain) (24 Jul 1992 – 8 Jan 2009), created Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcello (24 Nov 2007 [5 Apr 2008] – death 1 May 2011)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Francisco Javier Martínez Fernández (20 Mar 1985 – 15 Mar 1996), Titular Bishop of Voli (20 Mar 1985 – 15 Mar 1996); later Bishop of Córdoba (Spain) (15 Mar 1996 – 15 Mar 2003), Metropolitan Archbishop of Granada (Spain) (15 Mar 2003 – ...)
    • Auxiliary Bishop: Luis Gutiérrez Martín, Claretians (C.M.F.) (15 Sep 1988 – 12 May 1995), Titular Bishop of Tisedi (15 Sep 1988 – 12 May 1995); next Bishop of Segovia (Spain) (12 May 1995 – retired 3 Nov 2007), died 2016
Metropolitan Archbishops of Madrid

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Madrid-Alcalá". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  2. ^ Sccmediaserver (2021-01-21). "Priest, parishioner among casualties in Madrid explosion". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  3. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 12.06.2023" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.

Sources and external links[edit]

40°24′56″N 3°42′53″W / 40.4156°N 3.7146°W / 40.4156; -3.7146