Immaculate Conception Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno Puerto Baquerizo Moreno () is the capital of Galápagos Province, Ecuador. It is located on the southwestern coast of San Cristóbal, the easternmost island in the archipelago, and is the capital of San Cristóbal Canton. It was founded by Gen ...

, the capital of

San Cristóbal Island San Cristóbal Island (), also known as Chatham Island, is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago, as well as one of the oldest geologically. It is administratively part of San Cristóbal Canton, Ecuador. Names ''San Crist� ...

in the

Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands () are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Eastern Pacific, located around the equator, west of the mainland of South America. They form the Galápagos Province of the Republic of Ecuador, with a population of sli ...

, Ecuador. It serves as the episcopal seat of the

Apostolic Vicariate of Galápagos The Apostolic Vicariate (or Vicariate Apostolic) of Galápagos () is a missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, located on the Galápagos Islands off the Pacific coast of Ecuador, coinciding with the homonymous insular pr ...

, a Latin Church jurisdiction of the Catholic Church that is immediately exempt to the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

History

The Catholic Church established a formal presence in the Galápagos Islands on 6 May 1950, when

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

created the Apostolic Prefecture of Galápagos, separating it from the territory of the Diocese of Guayaquil. On 15 July 2008,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

elevated the jurisdiction to an

Apostolic Vicariate An apostolic vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church under a titular bishop centered in missionary regions and countries where dioceses or parishes have not yet been established. The status of apostolic vicariate is often ...

. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral was designated as its episcopal seat.

Architecture

The cathedral features a modest, contemporary design that reflects both its insular context and environmental sensitivity. The building incorporates Christian symbolism along with thematic elements representing the natural heritage of the Galápagos, in alignment with the Church's ecological orientation.

Role

The cathedral functions as the liturgical and administrative center for the Apostolic Vicariate. As of 2025, the Apostolic Vicar is Áureo Patricio Bonilla Bonilla, O.F.M. He was appointed by

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

and consecrated bishop at the cathedral on 7 December 2013. The cathedral provides regular pastoral services to both local residents and visitors, including celebration of the Eucharist, sacraments, and catechesis. It also supports missionary activity and charitable outreach across the islands.

Location

The cathedral is situated on Avenida Alsacio Northia in the center of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, within walking distance of the town's waterfront. It is a prominent religious and cultural site for the local Catholic community.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Church Roman Catholic cathedrals in Ecuador Puerto Baquerizo Moreno Roman Catholic churches completed in 1962 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Ecuador

History

Architecture

Role

Location

See also

References