Address: Apartado 102, Jorge Chavez 489, Ayaviri [Puno], Peru - Telephone: (051) 56-3123 - Fax: (051) 56-3004
The Territorial Prelature of Ayaviri came to life as a division of the Diocese of Puno. On July 30, 1958, through the Apostolic Letters "Ex illis Diocesibus", the Prelature of Ayaviri was constituted by the territory of the political provinces of Melgar, Carabaya and Sandia. The area of the new Episcopal territory was of 32,000 sq. km.
The new particular Church became suffragan of the
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Arequipa. The new Diocese of Puno continued to be suffragan of the same Archdiocese.
The Old Diocese of Puno
When the old Diocese of Puno was created it included 250,000 Christefideles, as suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuzco. Today the Prelature of Ayaviri includes 250,000 persons. The territories that were to become the new particular Church of Ayaviri came from areas that in today's ecclesiastical language are called vicariate forane of the former Diocese of Puno, and in those times combined with the famous Doctrinas, of Colonial times origen. The vicariate forane of Carabaya, included Sandia, and has passed completely to the new Prelature. Ayaviri and other areas belonged to the vicariate forane of Alta de Lampa.
Several unsuccessful attempts were made to constitute a Diocese in the area of Puno since December 1767. Being the last occasion the Apostolic Letters Cunctis et ubique, given in Rome October 5, 1961. Only in 1865, by the Bulla Apostolatus officium of Blessed Pius IX, given in March 31 was the possibility of establishing the Diocese. In that Document, Pope Pius IX appointed the first effective Bishop, Most Reverend Juan Antonio Huerta. He wrote his first Pastoral Letter on July 9, 1865. He began his programmatic Letter quoting Saint Paul in Philippians: 1,8 On March 19, 1866, the Diocese was erected under its first Bishop, Most Reverend Huerta. The clergy was formed by ten diocesan priests and 18 religious priests. Afterwards Most Reverend Juan Antonio Huerta was appointed Archbishop of Arequipa.
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Prelature of Ayaviri
The Old Diocese of Puno
When the old Diocese of Puno was created it included 250,000 Christefideles, as suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cuzco. Today the Prelature of Ayaviri includes 250,000 persons. The territories that were to become the new particular Church of Ayaviri came from areas that in today's ecclesiastical language are called vicariate forane of the former Diocese of Puno, and in those times combined with the famous Doctrinas, of Colonial times origen. The vicariate forane of Carabaya, included Sandia, and has passed completely to the new Prelature. Ayaviri and other areas belonged to the vicariate forane of Alta de Lampa.
Several unsuccessful attempts were made to constitute a Diocese in the area of Puno since December 1767. Being the last occasion the Apostolic Letters Cunctis et ubique, given in Rome October 5, 1961. Only in 1865, by the Bulla Apostolatus officium of Blessed Pius IX, given in March 31 was the possibility of establishing the Diocese. In that Document, Pope Pius IX appointed the first effective Bishop, Most Reverend Juan Antonio Huerta. He wrote his first Pastoral Letter on July 9, 1865. He began his programmatic Letter quoting Saint Paul in Philippians: 1,8 On March 19, 1866, the Diocese was erected under its first Bishop, Most Reverend Huerta. The clergy was formed by ten diocesan priests and 18 religious priests. Afterwards Most Reverend Juan Antonio Huerta was appointed Archbishop of Arequipa.
The first Prelate of Ayabiri was Reverend Luciano Metzinger Greff, SS.CC. After six years he was created Bishop. In 1992, Bishop Juan Godayol, S.D.B. was appointed Prelate of Ayaviri. In 2006, Most Reverend Kay Martin Schmalhausen, S.C.V. has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Prelate of Ayaviri. Since April 30, 2006 Bishop Schmalhausen is in Ayaviri. He is the first peruvian Bishop of the Prelature, the former where foreign missionaries.
Most Reverend Juan Antonio Huerta established the Diocese of Puno and was it first Bishop. The Prelature of Ayaviri created in 1958 was established takin territories from the Diocese of Puno.
