Saint Thomas of Guiana was a Roman Catholic diocese and suffragan of Caracas. It was erected by Pius VI on 19 December, 1791, and comprises the former state of Bermúdez, districts of Nueva Esparta and Guayana, and territories of Amazonas, Caura, Colón, Orinoco, and Yuruary, in the south and east of Venezuela.

The Caribs were Christianized by the early Spanish Franciscan missionaries. The episcopal city, Ciudad Bolívar, was established in 1764 by two Jesuits under the governorship of Joaquín de Mendoza, on the right bank of the Orinoco, and called San Tomás de la Nueva Guayana; but owing to a narrowing of the river was commonly known as Angostura.

[edit] Bishops

• Mgr. Francisco de Ybarra, born at Guacata, Venezuela
• José Antonio Mohedano (1800), born in the Diocese of Toledo
• Mgr. José de Silva y Olave (15 March, 1815)

[edit] After Venezuelan independence

• Mgr. Mariano Talavero, of Santa Fé, vicar Apostolic and titular Bishop of Tricala.
• Mgr. Antonio Fortique (12 July, 1841)
• José Emanuel Arroyo (1856)
• Mgr. Antonio Maria Duran (25 Sept., 1891)

[edit] External links

• Thomas of Guiana at the Catholic Encyclopedia

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.