Apostolic Vicariate of Izabal

The Apostolic Vicariate of Izabal is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church in eastern Guatemala's Izabal Department. It is exempt directly to the Holy See and not part of any ecclesiastical province.

Vicariate Apostolic of Izabal Apostolicus Vicariatus Izabalensis
Location
Country	Guatemala
Ecclesiastical province	Exempt directly to the Holy See
Coordinates	15.7211°N 88.5886°W / 15.7211; -88.5886
Statistics
Area	9,038 km2 (3,490 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2010) 419,000 280,000 (66.8%)
Parishes	15
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	30 April 1968 (57 years ago)
Cathedral	Catedral Inmaculada Concepción de María
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Domingo Buezo Leiva
Bishops emeritus	Gabriel Peñate Rodríguez
Map

Its cathedral is Catedral Inmaculada Concepción de María, in the see of Puerto Barrios.

History

It was erected 30 April 1968, as the "Apostolic Administration of Izabal", on territory split off from the Diocese of Zacapa. It was elevated as an apostolic vicariate on 12 March 1988.

Episcopal ordinaries

Apostolic Administrators of Izabal

• Gerardo Humberto Flores Reyes (1969.05.09 – 1977.10.07), previously Auxiliary Bishop of Quetzaltenango, Los Altos (Guatemala) (1966.07.26 – 1969.05.09), Titular Bishop of Nova Cæsaris (1966.07.26 – 1977.10.07); later Bishop of Vera Paz (Guatemala) (1977.10.07 – 2001.02.22), President of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (1992–1994)
• Luis María Estrada Paetau, Dominican Order (O.P.) (1977.10.27 – 1988.03.12 see below)

Apostolic Vicars of Izabal

• Luis María Estrada Paetau, Dominican Order (O.P.) (see above 1977.10.27 – 1988.03.12), Titular Bishop of Regiæ (1977.10.27 – 2011.03.25); previously Apostolic Administrator of El Petén (Guatemala) (1970.11.30 – emeritate 1977.10.27)
• Gabriel Peñate Rodríguez (2004.05.21 – 2011.07.26 resignation), Titular Bishop of Succuba (2004.05.21 – ...)
• Apostolic administrator Mario Enrique Ríos Montt, Lazarists (C.M.) (2011.07.26 – 2013.02.09), Titular Bishop of Tiguala (1974.07.13 – ...), previously Bishop-Prelate of the then Territorial Prelature of Escuintla (Guatemala) (1974.07.13 – 1984.03.03) & Auxiliary Bishop of Guatemala (Guatemala) (1987.01.24 – 2010.10.02)
• Domingo Buezo Leiva (2013.02.09 – ...), also Secretary General of Episcopal Conference of Guatemala (2012.03? – ...), Titular Bishop of Dardanus (2013.02.09 – ...)