Metetí, Panama. On November 29, 2025, the Apostolic Vicariate of Darién concluded the celebrations for its Centenary, strengthened by a special message from Pope Leo XIV and by the heartfelt greetings of Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, CMF, Superior General of the Claretian Missionaries. Both encouraged the Church in this frontier territory to continue announcing the Gospel with renewed courage and closeness to the most vulnerable.
Founded on November 29, 1925, the Vicariate commemorated the milestone with a Thanksgiving Eucharist presided by Bishop Pedro Hernández Cantarero, CMF, in Metetí. He reminded the community that the first hundred years are “not a finish line, but a new beginning,” insisting on the need to remain a “missionary Church going forth” amid the hardships that still mark the region: limited access to health care and education, lack of drinking water, isolated communities, the impact of migration, and the wounds caused by drug trafficking.
Fr. Mathew Vattamattam’s message, addressed to Fr. Mauricio Borge, CMF, Provincial of Centroamérica, highlighted the gratitude of the entire Congregation for the great missionary legacy forged in Darién. He remembered the pioneers—such as Fr. Antonio Anglés and Fr. Celestino Mangado—who traveled rivers and jungles “with sacrifice and passion for the Gospel,” sowing a seed that today has grown into a vibrant missionary Church. He invited the Vicariate to look to the future with “creativity, audacity and missionary love,” especially in service to Indigenous, Afro-descendant and rural communities who face violence, forced migration and neglect.
The celebration gathered the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Dagoberto Campos, members of the Panamanian Episcopal Conference, Claretian missionaries, religious congregations, and faithful from the ten pastoral zones. Delegations arrived with drums, traditional songs and festive attire, showcasing the cultural richness of Darién. Recognition was given to past and present pastors, missionaries and lay leaders who have sustained evangelization over the past century.
The Jubilee Year, which began in December 2024, included pilgrimages, perpetual prayer, the selection of a jubilee hymn, and the publication of the first Pastoral Letter, reinforcing a strong sense of communion and shared mission.
Entrusted since its creation to the Claretian Missionaries, the Vicariate continues to walk under the protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With trust in the Spirit, Darién looks ahead with the same youthful fire that once moved its first missionaries to cross frontiers and plant hope in this land.
