Territory Rogaland Denomination Church of Norway Cathedral Stavanger Cathedral Number of members 345,000 | Parishes 91 Established 1925 Country Norway Bishop Erling Pettersen | |
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Deaneries Stavanger domprosti, Dalane, Haugaland, Jæren, Karmøy, Ryfylke, Sandnes, Tungenes, Ytre Stavnager | ||
The Diocese of Stavanger (Norwegian: Stavanger bispedømme) is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers all of Rogaland county in western Norway. The cathedral city is Stavanger, where the Stavanger Cathedral is located. The bishop is Erling Johan Pettersen, who has held the post since 2009.
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History
The Diocese of Stavanger was established in the 12th century (either 1112 or maybe 1125) when it was separated from the Ancient Diocese of Bergen. Initially, the large diocese covered the (modern) counties of Rogaland, Aust-Agder, and Vest-Agder as well as the regions of Valdres (in Oppland county), Hallingdal (in Buskerud county), and the parishes of Eidfjord and Røldal (in Hordaland county). After the Protestant Reformation, the Diocese of Stavanger continued in the new Church of Norway.
Over time, the diocese was reduced in size. The parish of Eidfjord was transferred to the neighboring Diocese of Bjørgvin in 1630. The regions of Valdres and Hallingdal were transferred to the Diocese of Oslo in 1631, but in exchange, the Diocese of Oslo had to give the upper part of Telemark and transfer that to the Diocese of Stavanger.
In 1682 Christian V, King of Denmark-Norway, issued an order that the Bishop and the Prefect of the Diocese of Stavanger were to be moved to the Christianssand Cathedral, which had been consecrated in 1646 and which the King intended be perfect site for a new cathedral. The citizens of Stavanger protested, with the Prefect and the Bishop refusing to move and ignoring the order. It took two years before Christianssand was established as the new cathedral city. The diocese was renamed Diocese of Christianssand (Norwegian: "Christiansands stift").
On 1 January 1925, the Diocese of Kristiansand was divided and all of the diocese located in Rogaland county was moved to the newly re-established Diocese of Stavanger and the cathedral in Stavanger regained its place as the seat of a Bishop.
Structure
The Diocese of Stavanger is divided into nine deaneries (Norwegian: Prosti) spread out over the county. Each deanery corresponds a geographical area, usually one or more municipalities in the diocese. Each municipality is further divided into one or more parishes which each contain one or more congregations. See each municipality below for lists of churches and parishes within them.