San Salvador, Diocese of

SAN SALVADOR (SAN SALVADOR), DIOCESE. - City and diocese, capital of the Republic of El Salvador in Central America.

It has an area of 11,317 sq km with a population of 718,000 inhabitants, of whom 715,000 are Catholics distributed in 48 parishes served by 54 diocesan priests and 70 regulars; it has a seminary, 13 male religious communities and 27 female (Ann. Pont. 1952, p. 359).

The evangelization of this region, inhabited first by the Aztecs of Cuscatlán, was difficult; only in 1524 were they subjected to Spain by Captain Alvarado: then there were missionaries and churches, dependent on Guatemala. In 1811 the first movement of independence from Spain arose in the city of El Salvador, but only in 1824 did the city become part of the Republic of Central America, which produced confusion in the religious question. Having finally proclaimed itself independent in 1839, negotiations were held with the Holy See for the erection of the diocese in the capital. The diocese was erected by Pope Gregory XVI on 28 Sept. 1842, and comprises all seven departments of the State. The blessed Pope Pius X raised it to a metropolitan see on 11 Feb. 1913.

The cathedral church, begun in 1881 and completed in 1888, is a magnificent building, inspired by Hispano-colonial architecture, except for the arches, which are pointed.