Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Concepción facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Archdiocese of Concepción Archidioecesis Sanctissimae Conceptionis Arquidiócesis de Concepción
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Location
Country	Chile
Ecclesiastical province	Concepción
Statistics
Area	11,330 km2 (4,370 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 1,176,000 612,000 (52.0%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	22 March 1563 (462 years ago)
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Patron saint	Immaculate Conception
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	Mons. Sergio Hernán Pérez de Arce Arraigada, SS.CC.
Map
Website
www.arzobispadodeconcepcion.cl

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Concepción is a special church area. It is led by an archbishop and is located in the city of Concepción in Chile. This archdiocese is part of the larger Roman Catholic Church. It helps organize many smaller church areas in the region.

History of the Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Concepción has a long and interesting history. It started a very long time ago.

• On 22 March 1563, it was first set up as the Diocese of La Imperial. It was created from the Diocese of Santiago de Chile.
• In 1603, its name was changed to the Diocese of Concepción.
• Later, on 20 May 1939, it became even more important. It was promoted to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Concepción. This means it became a main archdiocese with other smaller dioceses connected to it.

Leaders of the Archdiocese

The leaders of the archdiocese are called bishops or archbishops. They guide the church community.

First Leaders: Bishops of La Imperial

The first leaders were called Bishops of La Imperial.

• The very first bishop was Antonio Avendaño y Paz. He started in 1564.
• Other early bishops included Agustín de Cisneros Montesa and Reginaldo de Lizárraga.

Later Leaders: Bishops of Concepción

After the name change, the leaders were called Bishops of Concepción. Many people served in this role over the centuries. They helped the church grow and serve the people.

Current Leaders: Archbishops of Concepción

Since 1939, the leaders have been called Archbishops.

• The first Archbishop was Alfredo Silva Santiago.
• Today, the Archbishop is Mons. Sergio Hernán Pérez de Arce Arraigada. He became the Archbishop on 16 May 2024.

Connected Church Areas

The Archdiocese of Concepción is like a main hub for several smaller church areas. These smaller areas are called suffragan dioceses. They work together under the guidance of the Archbishop.

• San Bartolomé de Chillán
• Santa Maria de Los Ángeles
• Temuco
• Valdivia
• Villarrica

See also

In Spanish: Arquidiócesis de la Santísima Concepción para niños