Roman Catholic Diocese of Florida

The Diocese of Florida (Latin: Dioecesis Floridensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in southern Uruguay. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province (covering all Uruguay) of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Montevideo.

Diocese of Florida Dioecesis Floridensis Diócesis de Florida
Cathedral Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three
Location
Country	Uruguay
Ecclesiastical province	Montevideo
Statistics
Area	22,600 km2 (8,700 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2006) 123,800 91,000 (73.5%)
Parishes	16
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	14 April 1897 (128 years ago)
Cathedral	Catedral Basílica Santuario de la Virgen de los Treinta y Tres
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Martín Pablo Pérez Scremini
Map

Its cathedra is a minor basilica, the Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Luján, dedicated to Our Lady of Luján.

The current bishop, Martín Pablo Pérez Scremini, was appointed in March 2008.

History

• Established on 1931.08.11 as Diocese of Florida–Melo / Floriden(sis)–Melen(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the suppressed Diocese of Melo (which was erected in 1897 on territory split off from the then Diocese of Montevideo)
• Renamed on 1955.11.15 as Diocese of Florida / Floriden(sis) (Latin), having lost territory to (re)establish a Diocese of Melo.
• Lost territory on 1960.10.22 to establish the Diocese of Tacuarembó.
• Enjoyed a Papal visit by Pope John Paul II in May 1988.^[1][2]

Statistics

As per 2014, it pastorally served 91,500 Catholics (74.7% of 122,500 total) on 22,600 km² in 17 parishes and 72 missions with 29 priests (9 diocesan, 20 religious), 5 deacons, 70 lay religious (22 brothers, 48 sisters), and 1 seminarian.

Episcopal ordinaries

(all Roman Rite)

Suffragan Bishop of Florida–Melo

• Miguel Paternain, Redemptorists (C.Ss.R.) (20 April 1929 – 15 November 1955 see below), previously Bishop of mother see Melo (Uruguay) (1929.04.20 – 1931.08.11)

Suffragan Bishops of Florida

• Miguel Paternain, Redemptorists (C.Ss.R.) (see above 15 November 1955 – retired 27 February 1960), emeritate first as Titular Bishop of Mades (1960.02.27 – 1960.09.21), then 'promoted' Titular Archbishop of Acrida (1960.09.21 – death 1970.10.19)
• Humberto Tonna Zanotta (5 July 1960 – retired 16 June 1987), also President of Episcopal Conference of Uruguay (1975 – 1979); died 1994
• Raúl Horacio Scarrone Carrero (15 June 1987 – retired 15 March 2008), also President of Episcopal Conference of Uruguay (1991 – 1994 & 1997 – 2000); previously Titular Bishop of Ulpiana (1982.10.13 – 1987.06.15) as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Montevideo (Uruguay) (1982.10.13 – 1987.06.15)
• Martín Pablo Pérez Scremini (15 March 2008 – ...), previously Titular Bishop of Vazari (2004.03.06 – 2008.03.15) as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Montevideo (Uruguay) (2004.03.06 – 2008.03.15).

See also

• List of Catholic dioceses in Uruguay
• List of churches in the Diocese of Florida