Missionary work in the San Martín Intendancy yielded good results from 1903 to 1906, while attempts made in 1907–1908 in the Central Intendancy proved unsuccessful. On 23 June 1903 the Apostolic Prefecture of the Eastern Intendancy was erected, and on 18 January 1904 that of the San Martín Intendancy, detached from the archdiocese of Bogotá. On 28 April 1908 the two prefectures were united and formed the Apostolic Vicariate of the San Martín Plains, entrusted to the Missionary Priests of the Company of Mary (Montfortians). On 9 June 1949, following the creation MITRA (v.), it took the name of Villavicencio.
It has an area of 190,710 sq. km. with 130,000 inhabitants, of whom 10,000 are pagans and the rest Catholics. Missionaries: 25; brothers: 20; nuns: 30; catechists: 90. Almost-parishes: 11; stations: 12; churches: 11; chapels: 19. Elementary schools: 77; secondary: 3; vocational: 1; orphanages: 3.