The Apostolic Vicariate (or Vicariate Apostolic) of Esmeraldas () is a missionary pre-diocesan circonscription of the Roman Catholic Church. Its cathedral see Catedral Cristo Rey is located in the town of Esmeraldas in Ecuador's homonymous Pacific coastal province. It is exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See, not part of any ecclesiastical province.

History

On 14 December 1945 Pope Pius XII established the Apostolic Prefecture of Esmeraldas on territory split from the Diocese of Portoviejo.

Apostolic Vicariate of Esmeraldas

It was elevated to an Apostolic Vicariate by the same pope on 14 November 1957.

Apostolic Vicariate of Esmeraldas

Ordinaries

All have been missionary members of a Latin Catholic order

Apostolic Prefect

Jeroteo della SSma Vergine del Carmelo, O.C.D. (25 October 1946 – 28 July 1954)

Apostolic Vicariate of Esmeraldas

Apostolic Vicars

Angelo Barbisotti, F.S.C.J., Titular Bishop of Caunas (14 November 1957 – 17 September 1972) Enrico Bartolucci Panaroni, M.C.C.I., Titular Bishop of Castulo (14 June 1973 – 10 February 1995) Eugenio Arellano Fernández, M.C.C.I., Titular Bishop of Cellæ in Proconsulari (1 June 1995 – 5 July 2021) Antonio Crameri, S.S.C., Titular Bishop of Apollonia (5 July 2021 – present)

See also

Roman Catholicism in Ecuador

Notes and references

Sources and external links

GigaCatholic, with incumbent biography links

Apostolic vicariates

Roman Catholic dioceses in Ecuador

Christian organizations established in 1945