Parishes 8 | Area 135 km² Date founded 30 April 1960 | |
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Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2010)108,61230,000 (27.6%) Established April 30, 1960 (56 years ago) Patron saint Feast of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas (Latin: Dioecesis Sancti Thomae in Insulis Virgineis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese comprises the overseas dependency of the Virgin Islands specifically the islands Saint Thomas, Saint Croix and Saint John. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Washington. Bishops of Saint Thomas are members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and also enjoy observer status with the Antilles Episcopal Conference.
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History
The Diocese of Saint Thomas was erected as the Territorial Prelature of the Virgin Islands on April 30, 1960. Its name was changed and was elevated to a diocese on April 20, 1977. It is the only suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Washington. The diocese is governed from Charlotte Amalie on the island of Saint Thomas by a bishop whose episcopal seat is the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. The current Bishop of Saint Thomas is Herbert A. Bevard, who was appointed on July 7, 2008, and was ordained and installed on September 3.
Ordinaries
The list of bishops of the diocese and their years of service:
- Edward John Harper, C.Ss.R. (1960 – 1985)
- Sean O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. (1985 – 1992)
- Elliot Griffin Thomas (1993 – 1999)
- George Murry, S.J. (1999 – 2007)
- Herbert Bevard (2008 – present)