Parishes 64 Phone +56 72 233 4500 Patron saint Feast of the Cross | Denomination Roman Catholic Area 16,042 km² Country Chile | |
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Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2010)869,000699,000 (80.4%) Similar Catedral de Rancagua, Parroquia San José Obrero, Parroquia San Agustín d, Parroquia Divino Maestro, Santuario de Schoenst | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rancagua (in Latin: Dioecesis Rancaguensis) is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. The diocese was established on 18 October 1925 as Diócesis de Santa Cruz de Rancagua, by Pope Pius XII by means of the papal bull Apostolici muneris ratio.
The current bishop is Msgr. Alejandro Goic Karmelic, the president of the Chilean Conference of Catholic bishops. The retired (emeritus) bishop is Msgr. Francisco Javier Prado Aránguiz, SS.CC.
Diocesan statistics
The diocese comprises the three provinces of the O'Higgins Region of Chile: Cachapoal, Colchagua and Cardenal Caro, with the exception of the comuna of Navidad, of the latter province, which belongs to the diocese of Melipilla. It covers a territory of 16,042 km2 (6,194 sq mi) and has 63 parishes. It is estimated that 80 percent of the population of the diocese is Catholic. This figure represents about 625,000 Catholics out of a total population of 781,000 persons.
The diocesan cathedral is located in the city of Rancagua.