Diocese of Linares, Chile

Diocese of Linares Dioecesis Linarensis Diócesis de Linares
Cathedral of St. Ambrose
Location
Country	Chile
Ecclesiastical province	Santiago de Chile
Metropolitan	Santiago de Chile
Statistics
Area	15,110 km2 (5,830 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 361,384 271,038 (75%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	18 October 1925 (91 years ago)
Cathedral	Cathedral of St Ambrose in Linares
Patron saint	St Ambrose
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Tomislav Koljatic Maroevic
Metropolitan Archbishop	Ricardo Ezzati Andrello
Website
www.obispadodelinares.cl

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Linares (Latin: Dioecesis Linarensis) was established in Linares, Chile by Pope Pius XI on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla Notabiliter Aucto.

The Diocese of San Ambrosio de Linares, a suffragan Diocese of Santiago de Chile, is located in the geographical center of the country. The diocesan territory consists of two provinces: Linares Province and Cauquenes Province, and part of a third: Talca Province, all of them in the Maule Region of Chile. Compared to other Chilean Dioceses, Linares has a higher proportion of rural inhabitants. Numerous chapels have been raised, particularly in rural areas, over the last twenty years. The total number of chapels in the diocese is currently more than 450.

In 1963, the territory of the Diocese of Linares expanded to include the parishes of the then Province of Maule (currently known as the Province of Cauquenes) that belonged to the Diocese of Chillán, and a parish (Putú), carved out from Talca Province. Prior to 1925, the territory now comprised by the Diocese was part of the ancient Diocese of La Santísima Concepción - now the Archdiocese of Concepción. The see of the Diocese and residence of the bishop is the city of Linares. The beautiful Cathedral Church is dedicated to Saint Ambrose of Milan.