Concordato de 1851 y reordenación del territorio eclesiástico en España: la diócesis de Cartagena

Abstract

The territorial adaptation of the Spanish dioceses to the civil provinces was regarded as a efficiency measure. This was due to the quick increase of the population from the XVIIIth c, the too vast territories of some bishoprics and the necessity of eliminating absurd enclaves from the past. Not only to avoid unnecessary administrative problems but also to achieve a far more efficient ecclesiastical concern on the part of the parishioners. Such an old territorial reorganization was included in the 7th article of the Concordat of Spain with the Vatican of march 16,1851. But the difficulties were so numerous that it took a century to be carried out. The present paper touches upon the case of the diocese of Carthagena, one of the most extensive of the country (Murcia, Albacete, Alicante and Almería). Here the territorial reorganization did not end until 1957.