SOCORRO AND SAN GIL, DIOCESE of. - In the Republic of Colombia (South America).
It has an area of 12,900 sq. km., with a population of 345,546 inhabitants, of whom 345,406 are Catholics, distributed among 50 parishes served by 69 diocesan and 25 regular priests; it has 1 seminary, 5 male and 23 female religious communities (Ann. Pont. 1952, p. 384).
The diocese of S. was created by Pope Leone XIII on 20 March 1895 under that name and with its residence at S. Pope Pio XI, by the apostolic constitution Apostolici officii of 19 Jan. 1928, transferred the episcopal see to the city of San Gil, at the same time raising the principal church of that city, dedicated to St. Egidio, to the dignity and rank of cathedral; he further decreed that thereafter the diocese should bear the name of S. and San Gil. The diocese is suffragan to Bogotà.
The city of S. arose at Chiaucon, a village of an indigenous chief of the same name. The village was transferred to its present site in 1681 and placed under the patronage of Nostra Signora del Soccorso (S.), with an annual feast on 16 June.