The Archdiocese of Morelia (Latin: Archidioecesis Moreliensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in western central Mexico.[1][2] It was erected on 11 August 1536 as the Diocese of Michoacán.
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The cathedra is found in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in the episcopal see of Morelia, capital of Michoacán state. It also has a minor basilica: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán de Ocampo.
Episcopal ordinaries
- Bishops of Michoacán
- Vasco de Quiroga (1536.08.18 – death 1565.03.14)
- Antonio Ruíz de Morales y Molina (1566.05.15 – 1572.12.10), later Bishop of Puebla de los Angeles (Mexico) (1572.12.10 – death 1576.07.17)[4]
- Juan de Medina Rincón y de la Vega, Order of St. Augustine (O.S.A.) (1574.06.18 – death 1588.06.30)[5]
- Alfonso Guerra, Dominican Order (O.P.) (1592.03.17 – death 1596.06.18), previously Bishop of Paraguay (Paraguay) (1579.02.06 – 1592.03.17)[6]
- Domingo de Ulloa, O.P. (1598.04.03 – death 1601), previously Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of León in Nicaragua (Nicaragua) (1585.02.04 – 1591.12.09), Bishop of Popayán (Colombia) (1591.12.09 – 1598.04.03)[7]
- Andrés de Ubilla, O.P. (1603.01.29 – death 1603.05), previously Bishop of Chiapas (Mexico) (1592.05.21 – 1603.01.29)[8]
- Juan Fernández de Rosillo (1603.06.16 – death 1606.10.29), previously Bishop of Vera Paz (Guatemala) (1592.06.12 – 1603.06.16)[9][10]
- Baltazar de Cobarrubias y Múñoz, O.S.A. (1608.02.04 – death 1622.07.22), previously Bishop of Paraguay (Paraguay) (1601 – 1603.01.13), Bishop of Nueva Caceres (Philippines) (1603.01.13 – 1605.06.06), Bishop of Antequera (Mexico) (1605.06.06 – 1608.02.04)[11]
- Alonso Orozco Enriquez de Armendáriz Castellanos y Toledo, Mercedarians (O. de M.) (1624.04.15 – death 1628.12.05), previously Titular Bishop of Sidon (1605.06.27 – 1610.08.30) & Auxiliary Bishop of Burgos (Spain) (1605.06.27 – 1610.08.30), then Bishop of Santiago (Cuba) (1610.08.30 – 1624.04.15)
- Francisco de Rivera y Pareja, O. de M. (1629.09.17 – death 1637.09.05), previously Bishop of Guadalajara (Mexico) (1618.01.29 – 1629.09.17)
- Marcos Ramírez de Prado y Ovando, Friars Minor (O.F.M.) (1639.05.30 – 1666.12.15), previously Bishop of Chiapas (Mexico) (1633.01.31 – 1639.05.30); later Metropolitan Archbishop of México (Mexico) (1666.12.15 – death 1667.05.14)
- Payo Enríquez de Rivera Manrique, O.S.A. (1668.01.16 – 1668.09.17), previously Bishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1657 – 1668.01.16); later Metropolitan Archbishop of México (Mexico) (1668.09.17 – retired 1681.06.30)
- Francisco Antonio Sarmiento de Luna y Enríquez, O.S.A. (1668.12.12 – 1673.09.25), later Bishop of Almería (Spain) (1673.09.25 – 1675.05.27), Bishop of Coria (Spain) (1675.05.27 – 1683.07.21)
- Francisco Verdín y Molina (1673.11.27 – death 1675.04.29), previously Bishop of Guadalajara (Mexico) (1665.07.06 – 1673.11.27)
- Francisco de Aguiar y Seijas y Ulloa (1677.08.30 – 1680), later Metropolitan Archbishop of México (Mexico) (1680 – death 1698.08.14)
- Antonio de Monroy, O.P. (1680 – 1680), previously Master (superior general) of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) (1677 – 1686); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) (1685.07.10 – death 7 Nov 1715)
- Juan de Ortega Cano Montañez y Patiño (1682.06.08 – 21 Jun 1700), previously Bishop of Durango (Mexico) (1674.04.16 – 1675.09.09), Bishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1675.09.09 – 1682.06.08); later Metropolitan Archbishop of México (Mexico) (21 Jun 1700 – 16 Dec 1708)
- García Felipe de Legazpi y Velasco Altamirano y Albornoz (5 Mar 1700 – 14 Jan 1704), previously Bishop of Durango (Mexico) (1691.08.23 – 5 Mar 1700); later Bishop of Puebla de los Angeles (Mexico) (14 Jan 1704 – death 1705.12)
- Manuel de Escalante Colombres y Mendoza (31 May 1704 – death 15 May 1708), previously Bishop of Durango (Mexico) (1699 – 31 May 1704)[12]
- Felipe Ignacio Trujillo y Guerrero (22 May 1713 – death 6 Feb 1721)
- Francisco de la Cuesta, Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God (O.S.H.) (23 Sep 1723 – death 30 May 1724), previously Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila (Philippines) (28 Apr 1704 – 23 Sep 1723); Archbishop (personal title)
- Juan José de Escalona y Calatayud (15 Nov 1728 – death 23 May 1737), previously Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (15 Mar 1717 – 15 Nov 1728)
- José Félix Valverde (24 Nov 1738 – death 23 Feb 1741), Bishop of Caracas (Venezuela) (15 Nov 1728 – 24 Nov 1738)
- Francisco Pablo Matos Coronado (2 Jan 1741 – death 26 Apr 1744), previously Bishop of Yucatán (Mexico) (9 Jul 1734 – 2 Jan 1741)
- Martín de Elizacoechea (8 Mar 1745 – death 19 Nov 1756), previously Bishop of Durango (Mexico) (27 Jul 1735 – 8 Mar 1745)
- Pedro Anselmo Sánchez de Tagle (26 Sep 1757 – death 27 May 1772), previously Bishop of Durango (Mexico) (10 Apr 1747 – 26 Sep 1757)
- Luis Fernando de Hoyos y Mier (12 Jul 1773 – death 7 May 1776)
- Juan Ignacio de la Rocha (3 Feb 1782 – death 3 Feb 1782)
- Francisco Antonio de San Miguel Iglesias y Cajiga, O.S.H. (15 Dec 1783 – death 18 Jun 1804), previously Bishop of Comayagua (Honduras) (17 Feb 1777 – 15 Dec 1783)
- Marcos de Moriana y Zafrilla (26 Jun 1805 – death 27 Jul 1809)
- Father Manuel Abad y Queipo (1811 – 1811, not consecrated bishop)
- Juan Cayetano José María Gómez de Portugal y Solis (28 Feb 1831 – death 4 Apr 1850), previously Titular Bishop of Claudiopolis in Isauria (19 Oct 1830 – 28 Feb 1831)
- Clemente de Jesús Munguía y Núñez (3 Oct 1850 – 26 Jan 1863 see below)
- Metropolitan Archbishops of Michoacán
- Clemente de Jesús Munguía y Núñez (see above 26 Jan 1863 – death 14 Dec 1868)
- José Ignacio Árciga Ruiz de Chávez (21 Dec 1868 – death 7 Jan 1900), succeeding as former auxiliary bishop of Michoacán (4 Mar 1866 – 21 Dec 1868) & Titular Bishop of Lagania (4 Mar 1866 – 21 Dec 1868)
- Atenógenes Silva y Álvarez Tostado (21 Aug 1900 – death 26 Feb 1911), previously Bishop of Colima (Mexico) (11 Jul 1892 – 21 Aug 1900)
- Leopoldo Ruiz y Flóres (27 Nov 1911 – 22 Nov 1924), previously Bishop of León in Mexico (Mexico) (12 Nov 1900 – 14 Sep 1907), Metropolitan Archbishop of Linares (Mexico) (14 Sep 1907 – 27 Nov 1911)
- Archbishops of Morelia
- Leopoldo Ruiz y Flóres (22 Nov 1924 – 12 Dec 1941), also Apostolic Delegate (papal diplomatic envoy) to Mexico (1929 – 1937)
- Luis María Altamirano y Bulnes (12 Dec 1941 – death 7 Feb 1970), previously Bishop of Huajuapan de León (Mexico) (3 Aug 1923 – 13 Mar 1933), Bishop of Tulancingo (Mexico) (13 Mar 1933 – 1 May 1937), Titular Archbishop of Bizya (1 May 1937 – 12 Dec 1941)& Coadjutor Archbishop of Morelia (1 May 1937 – 12 Dec 1941), succeeding as such
- Manuel Martín del Campo y Padilla (7 Feb 1970 – death 6 Apr 1972), previously Titular Bishop of Aulon (3 Aug 1946 – 26 Dec 1948), Coadjutor Bishop of León (3 Aug 1946 – 26 Dec 1948), succeeding as Bishop of León in Mexico (Mexico) (26 Dec 1948 – 10 Jun 1965), Titular Archbishop of Vadesi (10 Jun 1965 – 7 Feb 1970) & Coadjutor Archbishop of Morelia (10 Jun 1965 – 7 Feb 1970) succeeded as such
- Estanislao Alcaraz y Figueroa (3 Jul 1972 – retired 20 Jan 1995), previously Bishop of Matamoros (Mexico) (20 Jan 1959 – 3 Mar 1968), Bishop of San Luis Potosí (Mexico) (3 Mar 1968 – 3 Jul 1972)
- Alberto Suárez Inda (20 Jan 1995 – retired 5 Nov 2016), previously Bishop of Tacámbaro (Mexico) (5 Nov 1985 – 20 Jan 1995); created Cardinal-Priest of S. Policarpo (14 Feb 2015 [11 Oct 2015] – ...)
- Carlos Garfias Merlos (5 Nov 2016 – ...), previously Archbishop of Acapulco
Coadjutor bishops
- Luis María Martínez y Rodríguez (1933–1937); did not succeed to see; appointed Archbishop of México, Federal District
- Luis María Altamirano y Bulnes (1937–1941)
- Manuel Martín del Campo Padilla (1965–1970)
Auxiliary bishops
- Benito María de Moxó y Francolí O.S.B. (1803–1805), appointed Archbishop of La Plata o Charcas, Bolivia
- José Antonio de la Peña y Navarro (1862–1863), appointed Bishop of Zamora, Michoacán
- José Ignacio Árciga Ruiz de Chávez (1866–1868), appointed Archbishop here
- Luis María Martínez y Rodríguez (1923–1934), appointed Coadjutor here
- Salvador Martinez Silva (1951–1969)
- José de Jesús Tirado Pedraza (1963–1965), appointed Bishop of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas
- Román Acevedo Rojas (1967–1983)
- Leopoldo González González (1999–2005), appointed Bishop of Tapachula, Chiapas
- Francisco Moreno Barrón (2002–2008), appointed Bishop of Tlaxcala
- Octavio Villegas Aguilar (2005–2015)
- Carlos Suárez Cázares (2008–
- Juan Espinoza Jiménez (2010–
- Herculano Medina Garfias (2015–
- Víctor Alejandro Aguilar Ledesma (2016–
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
- Luis María Altamirano y Bulnes, appointed Bishop of Apatzingán, Michoacán in 1962
- Juan Jesús Cardinal Posadas Ocampo, appointed Bishop of Tijuana, Baja California Norte in 1970; future Cardinal
- Alejo Zavala Castro, appointed Bishop of Tlapa, Guerrero in 1992
- Rodrigo Aguilar Martínez, appointed Bishop of Matehuala, San Luís Potosí in 1997
- Enrique Díaz Díaz, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas in 2003
Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own archdiocese and the following suffragan bishoprics:
Associated Press, "Pope's selection of 15 new cardinals reflects church's diversity, growth." The Washington Post January 5, 2015, p. A7.