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![]() Catholic Church in Uruguay | |
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Spanish: Iglesia Católica en Uruguay | |
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Type | National polity |
Classification | Catholic |
Orientation | Latin |
Scripture | Bible |
Theology | Catholic |
Polity | Episcopal |
Pope | Francis |
Cardinal | Daniel Sturla |
Region | Uruguay |
Language | Latin, Spanish |
Origin | 17th century Banda Oriental |
Official website | iglesiacatolica.org.uy |
The Catholic Church in Uruguay is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope.
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In 2014, Catholics made up a minority of the population at 38%, second to the unaffiliated group, which came in at 41%. [2]
There are 9 dioceses and the archdiocese of Montevideo; the ordinaries gather in the Episcopal Conference of Uruguay. The current archbishop is Daniel Sturla, who was appointed on 11 February 2014. [3]
The patron saint of Uruguay is Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, venerated at the Cathedral Basilica of Florida. [4]
Evangelization of Uruguay followed Spanish settlement in 1624. Montevideo became a diocese in 1878, after being erected as a Vicarate in 1830. Missionaries followed the reduction pattern of gathering Indians into communities, training them in agriculture, husbandry, and other arts, while forming them in the Faith.[ citation needed ]
The constitution of 1830 made Catholicism the religion of the state and subsidized missions to Indians. In 1878, Montevideo was elevated to Diocese and, in 1897, to Archdiocese.[ citation needed ]
The constitution of 1917 enacted separation of Church and state. [5]
Two Eastern Catholic churches are also present in Uruguay, the Armenian Catholic Church [6] and the Maronite Church. [7]
Uruguay is a country where religious calling is low. Every year, some young people engage in religious careers. In 2013, there were 34 students at the Archdiocesan Seminary in Montevideo. [8]
So far, there is one Uruguayan saint and one blessed, but several beatification process are open: [9]
Several religious orders are present in Uruguay. [10] Some of them arrived in colonial times (although their presence was intermittent during the first centuries):
After Uruguay was established as an independent country, several other religious orders established their own missions in Uruguay: