Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toledo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metropolitan Archdiocese of ToledoArchidiœcesis Metropolitae Toletana Archidiócesis Metropolitano de Toledo |
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Coat of arms
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| Location | |
| Country | Spain |
| Territory | Province of Toledo, Parts of the Province of Cáceres and the Province of Badajoz |
| Ecclesiastical province | Toledo |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 19,333 km2 (7,465 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2010) 719,482 636,477 (88.5%) |
| Parishes | 270 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite |
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| Established |
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| Cathedral | Primatial Cathedral of St Mary in Toledo |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Archbishop | Francisco Cerro Chaves |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Francisco Cerro Chaves |
| Suffragans |
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| Auxiliary Bishops | Ángel Fernández Collado |
| Emeritus Bishops |
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| Map | |
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The Archdiocese of Toledo is an important part of the Catholic Church in Spain. It is a special kind of diocese called a "Metropolitan Archdiocese." This means it's a very important religious area. The leader of this archdiocese is called the Metropolitan Archbishop. This archbishop also has the special title of Primate of Spain. This title means they are the most important bishop in Spain.
People believe this archdiocese started way back in the 1st century. It was supposedly founded by James the Great, one of Jesus's disciples. It became an archdiocese in the year 313. This happened after the Edict of Milan, which made Christianity legal.
The current Metropolitan Archbishop is Francisco Cerro Chaves. Since 1937, the archbishop of Toledo also held the title of General Vicar of the Armies. However, since 1986, the care for the Spanish armed forces is handled by the Military Archbishopric of Spain.
Contents
Leaders of the Archdiocese
The Archdiocese of Toledo has had many leaders over its long history. These leaders are called bishops and archbishops. They guide the Catholic community in their area.
Early Bishops
The very first leaders were known as bishops.
- Eugenius (1st century?): He is thought to be one of the earliest bishops.
- Melantius (286?–306?): Another early bishop.
There were likely other bishops during this time, but their names and exact dates are not fully known.
Archbishops Through History
After 313 AD, the leaders became known as archbishops. This list shows some of the many important archbishops who have served Toledo.
- Patruinus (325–335)
- Toribius (335–345)
- Eladius (615–633)
- Ildefonso (657–667)
- Julian II (680–690)
- Bernard de Sedirac (1086–1124)
- Rodrigo Jimenez de Rada (1209–1247)
- Gil Alvarez de Albornoz (1338–1350)
- Francisco I Ximénez de Cisneros (1495–1517)
- Bartolomé Carranza (1558–1576)
- Albert of Austria (1595–1598)
- Ferdinand of Austria (1620–1641)
- Luis Manuel Fernández de Portocarrero (1677–1709)
- Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga, 14th Count of Chinchón (1800–1823)
- Bl. Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás (1898–1909)
- Pedro Segura y Sáenz (1927–1931)
- Isidro Goma y Tomas (1933–1940)
- Marcelo Gonzalez Martin (1972–1995)
- Antonio Cañizares Llovera (2002–2008)
- Braulio Rodríguez Plaza (2009–2019)
- Francisco Cerro Chaves (2019–present): He is the current Archbishop of Toledo.
Other Dioceses in the Region
The Archdiocese of Toledo is the main diocese in its region. It has several "suffragan" dioceses. These are smaller dioceses that are connected to the main archdiocese. Think of them as a team, with Toledo as the team leader.
- Diocese of Albacete
- Diocese of Ciudad Real
- Diocese of Cuenca
- Diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara
See also
- Council of Elvira
- Councils of Toledo
- Patriarch of the West Indies
- Grand Inquisitor
- Mozarabic Rite
- Roman Catholicism in Spain
