The

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

Church in

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

comprises five

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian Churches with traditional hierarchical structure, including Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity. In general, an ecclesiastical province consists of sev ...

s each headed by an

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...

. The provinces are in turn subdivided into 19

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 6

archdiocese 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 associat ...

s each headed by a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

or an

. There is also one Territorial Prelature, one Apostolic Vicariate 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 ...

in Chile. The bishops of Chile form the

Episcopal Conference of Chile The Catholic Church in Chile is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, the curia in Rome, and the Episcopal Conference of Chile. The Church is composed of 5 archdioceses, 18 dioceses, 2 territ ...

List of dioceses

Ecclesiastical province of Antofagasta

* Archdiocese of Antofagasta (1881; diocese 1928; archdiocese 1967) ** Diocese of Arica (1959; diocese 1986) **

Diocese of Iquique The Roman Catholic Diocese of Iquique ( la, Iquiquen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Iquique, Chile, in the ecclesiastical province of Antofagasta. History * 1880: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Tarapacá from the Diocese of Ar ...

(1880; diocese 1929) ** Diocese of San Juan Bautista de Calama (1965; diocese 2010)

Ecclesiastical province of Concepción

* Archdiocese of Concepción (1563; archdiocese 1939) ** Diocese of Chillán (1916; diocese 1925) ** Diocese of Santa María de Los Ángeles (1959) ** Diocese of Temuco (1908; diocese 1925) ** Diocese of Valdivia (1910; diocese 1944) ** Diocese of Villarrica (1901; diocese 2001)

Ecclesiastical province of La Serena

* Archdiocese of La Serena (1840; archdiocese 1939) ** Diocese of Copiapó (1946; diocese 1957) **

Territorial Prelature of Illapel The Territorial Prelature of Illapel ( la, Praelatura Territorialis Ilapensis) is a territorial prelature located in the city of Illapel in the Ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Chr ...

(1960)

Ecclesiastical province of Puerto Montt

* Archdiocese of Puerto Montt (1939; archdiocese 1963) **

Diocese of Osorno The Roman Catholic Diocese of Osorno (in Latin: '' Dioecesis Osornensis '') is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Puerto Montt, in Chile. The diocese was established on 15 November 1955 by Pope Pius XII by means of the papal bull ''Christia ...

(1955) ** Diocese of Punta Arenas (1883; diocese 1947) **

Diocese of San Carlos de Ancud The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Carlos de Ancud (in Latin: ''Dioecesis Sancti Caroli Anduciae'') is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Puerto Montt, in Chile. Its current bishop is Mgr. Juan María Florindo Agurto Muñoz. The retired ...

(1840)

Ecclesiastical province of Santiago de Chile

* Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile (1561; archdiocese 1840) ** Diocese of Linares (1925) ** Diocese of Melipilla (1991) ** Diocese of Rancagua (1925) ** Diocese of San Bernardo (1987) ** Diocese of San Filipe (1925) ** Diocese of Talca (1913; diocese 1925) ** Diocese of Valparaíso (1872; diocese 1925)

''Sui iuris'' Jurisdictions

Military Ordinariate of Chile The Military Bishopric of Chile ( es, Obispado Castrense de Chile) is a Latin Church military ordinariate of the Catholic Church. Immediately exempt to the Holy See, it provides pastoral care to Roman Catholics serving in the Chilean Armed Force ...

(bishopric 1910; ordinariate since 1986) * Apostolic Vicariate of Aisén (1940)

References

Catholic-Hierarchy entry

{{R-C dioceses in Chile *

Catholic dioceses