FLORIDA Y MELO, DIOCESE of. — In Uruguay. It has an area of 81,000 sq. km., with 500,000 inhabitants; it comprises 26 parishes served by 21 diocesan priests and 27 religious priests, one seminary, 10 male and 17 female religious communities (1949).
The diocese was erected on 14 April 1897 under the name of M., after the city chosen as the episcopal residence, with the church of S. Raffaele as its cathedral. By the apostolic constitution Quo salubrina of 11 August 1931, Pope Pius XI transferred the episcopal see to the city of F., and the diocese assumed the name of F. y M. The church of S. Raffaele in the city of F. was raised to the dignity of a cathedral. The diocese is suffragan to Montevideo.
BIBL.: AAS, 24 (1932), pp. 137–38. Enrico Josi