December 14, 2023 / 04:40 PM
In the Apostolic Vicariate of Caroní, which includes a large part of the Venezuelan Amazon, Bishop Gonzalo Ontiveros ordained, for the first time in his bishopric, a priest: Father Luis Alberto Pino, from the indigenous community of Canaima, as reported the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (CEV) in his web page.
The ordination Mass took place on December 8 in the Gran Sabana, which is a remote region in the southeast of Venezuela, characterized by its jungle landscapes and its tepuis. According to figures from Statistics National Institute Venezuela (INE), in 2011 nearly 30,000 people lived in the area, most of them indigenous people belonging to various tribes.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Caroní was erected in 1922 by Pope Pius XI, and the Order of the Capuchin Friars Minor was in charge of evangelization in the region. Its territory is divided into 5 parishes and the episcopal headquarters is located in the city of Santa Elena de Uairén, in the state of Bolívar.