CASANARE, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. - The first evangelizers of the region of C. in Colombia were the Augustinian Recollects, who were obliged to leave the territory during the war of independence against Spain. They returned at the end of the 19th century, with the goodwill and support of the Colombian government and, almost in order to make up for lost time, worked with great zeal in areas inhabited by savage or semi-civilized Indians.
In 1893 the apostolic vicariate was erected; on 26 May 1915, by decree of the S. Congregazione Concistoriale, the province of Arauca was detached from it in order to be erected as an apostolic prefecture. The first apostolic vicar, Mons. Ezechiele Moreno, titular bishop of Pinara, died in the repute of sanctity.
The mission has an area of 64,000 sq. km., with 45,000 inhabitants, of whom 42,000 are Catholics, 2,300 pagans, and the remainder Protestants. There are 11 priests, 23 sisters, 31 catechists, and 62 teachers. Parishes: 4; churches: 20; chapels: 14. Schools: 8 elementary schools with 256 pupils; 35 secondary schools with 1,025 pupils; 3 higher schools with 99 pupils. One hospital with 20 beds, one pharmacy, and two orphanages.