Roman Catholic Diocese of Querétaro


The Diocese of Querétaro is the Catholic Church's diocese of the Mexican state of Querétaro. Erected on January 26, 1863, it covers an area of 15,326 km²., and contains a population of 1,730,034 - 95% of which are Catholic. It belongs to the Province of León. The current bishop is Faustino Armendáriz Jiménez.

History

Querétaro has been a site for the Catholic Church's activity since 1601, when the Carmelites established themselves there. Dominicans, Augustinians and other houses soon followed. One of the most notable institutions of Querétaro was the college of Apostolic missionaries, which Innocent XI called the greatest influence for the propagation of the faith in the Indies. From here missionaries went forth to evangelize Sonora, California, Texas, and Tamaulipas. Adjoining the residence of the bishop in the capital near the church of La Cruz, is the Convent of La Cruz, occupied as headquarters by Maximilian during the siege of the city by General Escobedo in May, 1867. The Capuchin Convent was used as a prison for the Emperor Maximilian and his two generals, Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía. It was on the hill of Las Campanas on the outskirts of the town that these generals were shot, June 19, 1867. An elaborate mortuary chapel has replaced the former modest monument erected on the site. At Querétaro was ratified in 1848 the treaty by which Mexico ceded to the United States, at the close of the war, the territory covered by Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Upper California.

List of bishops