The Catholic Church in the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
is part of the worldwide
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
, under the spiritual leadership of the
Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
The Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. There are an estimated 5 million Catholics in the Dominican Republic, (48% of the population),
[Latinobarometro, Opinion Publica Latinoamericana, Enero 2018.] in 11 territorial
diocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...
s and one
military ordinariate
A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church, of the Latin or an Eastern church, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation.
Until 1986, they were called "military ...
, served by 800
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...
s.
Hierarchy
Within the Dominican Republic the hierarchy consists of:
*Archbishopric
**Bishopric
*
Archdiocese of Santiago de los Caballeros
**
Diocese of La Vega
The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Vega ( la, Dioecesis Vegensis) (erected 25 September 1953) is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de los Caballeros, Archdiocese of Santiago de los Caballeros.
Bishops Ordinaries
*Fr ...
**
Diocese of Mao-Monte Cristi
**
Diocese of Puerto Plata
**
Diocese of San Francisco de Macorís
*
Archdiocese of Santo Domingo
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santo Domingo ( la, Archidioecesis Metropolitae Sancti Dominici; es, Arquidiócesis Metropolitana de Santo Domingo) is a Latin Metropolitan Archdiocese in the Dominican Republic. The see was erected ...
**
Diocese of Baní
**
Diocese of Barahona
**
Diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higüey
**
Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana
**
Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís
*
Military Ordinariate of the Dominican Republic
The Military Bishopric of the Dominican Republic ( es, Obispado Castrense de República Dominicana) is a military ordinariate (quasi-diocese) of the Roman Catholic Church.
It is exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See, not part of ...
Church in society
The Dominican Republic offers religious freedom, but the Catholic Church still enjoys certain favors, in particular due to a
1954 concordat with the
Vatican. Under
Rafael Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...
's government, the power of the Catholic Church was limited. Although the Church remained apolitical during much of the Trujillo era, a 1960 pastoral letter of protest against mass arrests of government opponents seriously strained the relationship with the dictatorship.
Gallery
File:Catedral Santiago Apóstol-IMG 0132.JPG
File:Catedral Baní RD.jpg
File:Iglesia y Convento Dominicos CCSD 07 2018 0486.jpg
File:IglesiaSagradoCorazondeJesusMoca.jpg
File:Catedral San Pedro de Macoris 04 2019 4321.jpg
See also
*
List of Central American and Caribbean Saints
This page is a list of Central American and Caribbean saints, blesseds, venerables, and Servants of God, as recognized by the Catholic Church. These people were born, died, or lived their religious life in any of the territories of North America ...
References and notes
Dominican Republic-International Religious Freedom Report 2005 U.S. Department of State. November 8, 2005. Retrieved July 13, 2006.
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Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
Dominican Republic culture