CASANARE, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - The first evangelizers of the region of C. in Colombia were the Augustinian Recollects, who had 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 as if to make up for lost time, they worked with great zeal in the areas inhabited by savage or semi-civilized Indians.

In 1893 the apostolic vicariate was erected, from which on 26 May 1915, by decree of the Sacred Congregation Consistorial, the province of Arauca was detached to be erected as an apostolic prefecture. The first apostolic vicar, Msgr. Ezequiel Moreno, titular bishop of Pinara, died in the odor of sanctity.

The area of the mission is 64,000 sq. km. with 45,000 inhabitants, of whom 42,000 are Catholics, 2,300 pagans, and the rest Protestants. There are 11 priests, 23 sisters, 31 catechists and 62 teachers. 4 parishes, 20 churches, 14 chapels. Schools: 8 elementary with 256 pupils; 35 middle with 1,025 pupils; 3 higher with 99 pupils. One hospital with 20 beds, one pharmacy, two orphanages.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: Archivio di Prop. Fide, Prospectus status missionis, 1948, pos. n. prot. 5339/48; ibid., pos. n. prot. 175/49; GM, p. 311; MC, pp. 69-70.

Antonio Mazza

@incollection{ec3_casanare_vicariato_apostolico, author = {Mazza, Antonio}, title = {Casanare, vicariato apostolico di}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {III}, pages = {967}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1949}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/casanare-vicariato-apostolico-di} }

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Casanare, Apostolic Vicariate of

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