Metropolitan see Panamá, Panama
Archdiocese of Panamá
Panamen(sis)
Latin Church
Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese erected 28 August 1513 as the Diocese of Santa Maria de La Antigua del Darien, the oldest see on the American mainland, transferred to Panama City in 1520 and elevated to metropolitan rank on 29 November 1925. Its mother church is the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria la Antigua, and its suffragans are Chitre, Colon-Kuna Yala, David, Penonome, Santiago de Veraguas and the Prelature of Bocas del Toro.
On the map
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- Established
- 1513
- Catholics
- 633,705
- Priests
- 176
- Territory
- 13,275 km²
Parishes and churches
1 listed church in our records. Open a parish for Mass times, confession, directions and sources where recorded.
This is our recorded coverage, not an official diocesan parish count. Confirm service times with the parish before travelling.
The bishop
- Archbishop
- Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, O.S.A.
Explore the ministry of the bishop.
The cathedral
Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria la Antigua stands in Panamá, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.
On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.
History
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Panamá traces its origin to 28 August 1513, when it was erected as the Diocese of Santa María de La Antigua del Darién, a see originally situated upriver from the mouth of the Atrato River on the Gulf of Urabá in the Castilla de Oro province. As a metropolitan archdiocese, it presides over the suffragan dioceses of Chitré, Colón-Kuna Yala, David, Penonomé and Santiago de Veraguas, together with the Territorial Prelature of Bocas del Toro.
This see in the wire
Stories that name this see
The wire's resolver matched this see in the text of each story.
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Archbishop of Panama José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta asks forgiveness for Church abuses
Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panama asked for forgiveness on behalf of the Church for sexual abuse committed by its members between 2001 and 2025. Ulloa addressed approximately 20 to 24 reported cases of abuse within the Archdiocese of Panama. He apologized for instances where Church members caused harm and for institutional responses that failed to meet the needs and rights of the victims.
- Panama Archbishop closes novena in Sevilla
- Mons. Ulloa preaches at Sevilla novena
- Archbishop Ulloa preaches in Seville's Cathedral
Filed by the see itself
Published on the see's own news feed. A diocese reports on the whole Church, so these are often about somewhere else.
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Transparency Commission finds inadequate record-keeping in Panama Archdiocese
An international research group found that the Archdiocese of Panama lacks sufficient procedures to prevent and respond to abuse incidents. The Transparency Commission released its assessment on Tuesday, following a request last year from Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta to evaluate how the local Church managed abuse complaints over the last 25 years. The commission's findings include a need for better record-keeping, improved methods for listening to victims, clearer codes of conduct, and measures for reparation. During its review, the group examined 24 of the 37 sexual abuse complaints received by the archdiocese between 2001 and 2025. The remaining complaints fell outside the commission's specific timeframe, jurisdiction, or did not involve minors or vulnerable persons. To reach these conclusions, the commission reviewed archdiocesan archives, interviewed individuals, collected testimonies, and studied local media reports. The Transparency Commission is an independent group of experts funded by Notre Dame Law School and the Universidad Villanueva Foundation in Spain. This assessment served as a pilot project for the group, which intends to conduct similar evaluations in other dioceses.
- Archbishop of Panamá, José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, issues message on the passing of Ismael Laguna Meneses
- Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panamá sends condolences on death of Dagoberto “Yim” Carrizo
- Arquidiócesis de Panamá announces 6 new parish assignments
- Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta presides Mass at Radio Hogar family fair
38 stories in the wire either name this see or come from its own feed. Read the wire.