MOYOBAMBA. - City and prelature nullius in the department of S. Martin in Peru. The prelature borders to the north on the apostolic vicariate of S. Gabriele della Addolorata di Maranou; to the east on the apostolic vicariate of Ucayali; to the south on the diocese of Huanuco; to the west on part of the said diocese and on that of Chachapayas.
It has an area of 45,202 sq. km., with a population of 136,000 inhabitants, of whom 125,000 are Catholics. It has 9 parishes served by 2 diocesan priests and 9 regular clergy, a seminary, 1 male and 1 female religious community (Ann. Pont., 1951, p. 631).
The prelature was created by Pope Pio XII through the apostolic constitution Romanus Pontifex of 7 March 1948, by dismemberment of the diocese of Chachapayas in the civil department of San Narbin, comprising the six provinces of Moyobamba, Lamas, Huallaga, Mariscal, Caceres, Rioja, and Tarapoto, while at the same time raising to the rank of prelatic church the parish church of S. Giacomo Apostolo existing in M. The prelature is suffragan to Trujillo.