Diocese of Stella Maris

Last updated
Diocese of Stella Maris

Dioecesis Stella Maris
Location
Country Dominican Republic
Ecclesiastical province Province of Santo Domingo
Statistics
Area588.87 km2 (227.36 sq mi)
Population
  • Total
  • Catholics
  • (as of 2025)
  • 1,291,516
  • 943,762 (73.1%)
Parishes64
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Latin Rite
Established27 August 2025
CathedralStella Maris Cathedral
Patron saintOur Lady, Star of the Sea
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Manuel Antonio Ruíz de la Rosa

The Diocese of Stella Maris (Latin : Dioecesis Stella Maris) is a Roman Catholic suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It was established in 2025.

Contents

History

The diocese was erected on August 27, 2025, by Pope Leo XIV by dismembering territory from the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. This is the second diocese established by Leo, following Kapsabet in Kenya. [1] [2]

Territory

Stella Maris's territory includes the municipalities of Santo Domingo Este, San Antonio de Guerra, and Boca Chica, formerly of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. Before the creation of Stella Maris, the Santo Domingo had a larger Catholic population than the Archdioceses of New York or Chicago. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Cathedral and patron

Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) is an ancient title of Mary, and the diocese received this name because it is made up of coastal areas. The cathedral of the diocese is Stella Maris in Santo Domingo Este. [5] [6]

Ordinaries

References

  1. 1 2 "Pope splits up massive archdiocese in Dominican Republic | News Headlines". www.catholicculture.org. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  2. 1 2 "León XIV erige la Diócesis de Stella Maris en República Dominicana - L'Osservatore Romano". www.osservatoreromano.va (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  3. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  4. ↑ "Major changes happening in the Dominican Roman Catholic Church". DR1.com. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  5. ↑ Paredes, Mario J. (2025-11-07). "For you I am a Bishop; with you I am a Christian". Exaudi. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  6. ↑ Libre, Diario (2025-08-27). "¿Qué es Stella Maris? La nueva diócesis católica en Santo Domingo Este creada por el papa León XIV". Diario Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-12-13.


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