Diocese of Stella Maris


The Diocese of Stella Maris is a Roman Catholic suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It was established in 2025.

History

The diocese was erected on August 27, 2025, by Pope Leo XIV by dismembering territory from the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. This is the second diocese established by Leo, following Kapsabet in Kenya.

Territory

Stella Maris's territory includes the municipalities of Santo Domingo Este, San Antonio de Guerra, and Boca Chica, formerly of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. Before the creation of Stella Maris, the Santo Domingo had a larger Catholic population than the Archdioceses of New York or Chicago.

Cathedral and patron

Stella Maris is an ancient title of Mary, and the diocese received this name because it is made up of coastal areas. The cathedral of the diocese is Stella Maris in Santo Domingo Este.

Ordinaries