CUMANÁ, DIOCESE OF. – In Venezuela (State of Sucre) a suffragane of Santiago de Venezuela. It was created by Pius XI on 12 Oct. 1922 by the division of the diocese of Guayana.
It comprises the federal States of Sucre and Nueva Esparta, with an area of 12,950 sq. km. and a population of 360,647 inhabitants, of whom 359,647 are Catholics, divided into 18 parishes, served by 12 secular and 12 regular priests (1948).
In 1513 some Dominicans began the evangelization of the coasts of Cumaná, which was soon interrupted when, following fierce opposition from the natives, two missionaries were killed. The definitive evangelization of the region took place later and is attributed to the celebrated Fray Bartolomé de las Casas.
BIBL.: AAS, 15 (1923), pp. 99-102; N. E. Navarro, Analisi e classificazione, Caracas 1920 (v. index). Pedro Gomez