Ayacucho, Diocese of

AYACUCHO, Diocese of. - In the republic of Peru, department of A., suffragan of Cuzco. It extends over the southern part of Peru, between the ancient city of Cuzco and the Pacific Ocean, with a population of 553,255 souls, divided into 63 parishes, served by 63 diocesan priests. It was erected on 20 July 1609 by Paul V, with the bull Divinae Maiestatis arbitrio, by dismemberment of the diocese of Cuzco. For more than two centuries it was called Huamanga; in 1837, under the pontificate of Gregory XVI, since the residential city, following the famous battle "of the American nations," had taken the name of A. (1825), the diocese too took its present name. From its foundation to the present day it has been administered by 30 bishops. Four synods have been held, in the years 1672, 1906, 1912, 1918; the last three by the same bishop, Msgr. Olivas Escudero, who governed the diocese for forty years and was undoubtedly one of its most distinguished pastors.

A. is the city of Peru in which the most extensive traces of Spanish piety and splendor have remained. Among the churches it will suffice to name: St. Christopher (1541), St. Clare (1568), the cathedral (1632). Many churches had a convent or a religious house attached, now all suppressed, except the monastery of St. Clare, which has given the Church of Peru venerable women and servants of God, and that of the Carmelites. Recently, the Franciscans have built a convent (1898) and the Redemptorists have opened a house there (1913). In the ancient city of Huancavelica, at the time of the colony, there existed the convents of St. Dominic, St. Francis, St. Augustine, St. John of God and a college of Jesuits, now all suppressed. During the episcopate of Msgr. Cristóbal Castillo y Zamora, ninth bishop of A., the university of St. Cristóbal was founded (1677), which, inaugurated in 1704, carried on a good cultural activity until 1878. Also in 1677 a college of Jesuits was founded, which quickly rose to great fame, having been elevated to the rank of university, with the privileges of the most celebrated Spanish universities. In 1768 the building of this university college, since the Jesuits had been expelled from the Spanish colonies (1767), was occupied by the seminary of St. Cristóbal, founded already in 1680.

Giovanni Meza

AYGLIER (AILIER), BERNARDO: V. AIGLERIO.