Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Apostolic Vicariates of Puerto Gaitán and Puerto Carreño, 2000

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has established (December 22^nd 1999) the Vicariates Apostolic of Puerto Gaitán and Puerto Carreño (Colombia) dividing the present Apostolic Prefecture of Vichada.

The Apostolic Prefecture of Vichada was established on April 7^th 1956 and entrusted "iure commissionis" to the Company of Mary, Monfort Fathers, who had evangelized this region since 1904. The territory of the Prefecture is that of the civil department bearing the same name, situated in the great plains extending from the east mountain chain to the Republic of Venezuela. Communication between the different towns and the cities of Colombia, since there are no roads, is mainly by air or river, and therefore is not only difficult but also costly. The reasons for the establishment of the new Ap. Vicariates by means of the division of the Ap Prefecture of Vichada: Puerto Gaitan and Puerto Carreno are the following:

• the vast extension of the Ap Prefecture of Vichada
• scarcity of evangelizing personnel in the resent Prefecture
• to take better care of the people.

Here are the statistics of the two new Vicariates:

Source: Fides, February 4th, 2000

- CT