PASTO, DIOCESE of. - City and diocese of Colombia (South America), suffragan of the archdiocese of Popayan. It has an area of 8,000 sq. km., with a population of 400,000 inhabitants, all Catholics, distributed among 55 parishes, served by 79 diocesan and 58 regular priests; it has 1 seminary, 6 male and 11 female religious communities (Ann. Pont., 1952, p. 312).
Founded in 1539 under the name of Villaviciosa, it was burned during the war of 1834 and later destroyed by an earthquake. By the bull of Pius IX In excelsa militantibus Ecclesia of 10 Apr. 1859, it was separated from Popayan and erected as a diocese. On 23 Dec. 1904 the apostolic prefecture of Caquetà was separated from P. It is suffragan of Popayan. Among the bishops of the diocese may be mentioned the Jesuit Ignacio León Velasco and Fr. Ezequiel Moreno, whose cause of beatification has been introduced. Among the churches of the diocese are those of S. Domenico, S. Francesco, S. Andrea, S. Filippo, and others. There is also the Collegio di S. Filippo Neri, administered by the Jesuit Fathers; a hospital; and the Capuchin convent.