Colombia: Pope Francis appoints Bishop Orlando Olave as new Bishop of Ocaña

The Vatican reported this July 11 that Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Orlando Olave Villanoba as the new Bishop of Ocaña, a diocese that had been left in vacant seat after the death of its previous prelate, Mons. Luis Gabriel Ramírez Díaz, on January 8, 2023.

Mons. Olave Villanoba had been serving since 2017 as Bishop of Tumaco, a diocese on the Pacific coast. He will now move to the north of Colombia to pastor the Church that travels between the region of Catatumbo, in the department of Norte de Santander, and the department of Cesar.

The Episcopal Conference of Colombia (CEC) reported that the Diocese of Ocaña was established on October 26, 1962 and has about 50 parishes, most located in rural areas. After the death of Bishop Ramírez, the guidance of ecclesial jurisdiction was entrusted to Bishop Jorge Alberto Ossa Soto, Archbishop of Nueva Pamplona, ​​as apostolic administrator.

Who is Bishop Orlando Olave?

Bishop Orlando Olave Villanoba was born in Barrancabermeja (Colombia) on January 28, 1969. He studied Philosophy at the Major Seminary of Bucaramanga and Theology at the San Carlos Borromeo Seminary of San Gil.

Likewise, he completed a diploma in Youth Ministry at the Theological Institute for Latin America (ITEPAL) and a degree in Theology, with emphasis on Youth Ministry and Catechesis, at the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome, in 2009.

He was ordained a priest on December 5, 1998 in the Cathedral of Barrancabermeja, incardinating himself in this diocese.

On March 18, 2017, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Tumaco and on May 6 he received episcopal ordination from the Apostolic Nuncio in Colombia, Mons. Ettore Balestrero. He took possession of ecclesial jurisdiction on May 20, 2017.