Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi

Updated on Dec 27, 2024

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Rite Latin Rite Emeritus Bishops Patrick Paul D’Souza Country India Emeritus bishop Patrick Paul D'Souza		Pope Francis Area 21,395 km² Patron saint John the Baptist Metropolitan archbishop Albert D'Souza

Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2010)20,328,00018,259 (0.1%) Cathedral St Mary’s Cathedral in Varanasi Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi (Latin: Varanasien(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Agra in northern India' s vast state Uttar Pradesh.

Its cathedral episcopal see is St. Mary’s Cathedral in the city of Varanasi.

History

Established on July 11, 1946 as Apostolic Prefecture of Gorakhpur, on territory split off from the Diocese of Allahabad, exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See

September 17, 1958: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Benares-Gorakhpur

Promoted on June 5, 1970 as Diocese of Banaras (Benares), losing its exempt status by becoming a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agra

May 14, 1971: Renamed as Diocese of Varanasi (as the city had changed its name).

Ordinaries

(all Latin, Roman Rite)

Apostolic Prefects of Gorakhpur

Father Joseph Emil Malenfant, Capuchin Friars (O.F.M. Cap.) (June 6, 1947 – September 17, 1958 see below)

Apostolic Prefects of Benares-Gorakhpur

Joseph Emil Malenfant, O.F.M. Cap. (see above September 17, 1958 – 1970)

Bishops of Banaras

Patrick Paul D’Souza (June 5, 1970 – May 14, 1971 see below)

Bishops of Varanasi

Patrick Paul D’Souza (see above May 14, 1971 – February 24, 2007), Vice-President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1996 – 1998)

Raphy Manjaly (February 24, 2007 – 2013.10.17), later Bishop of Allahabad (India, in the same province) (2013.10.17 – ...)

Eugene Joseph (2015.05.30 – ...)

References

Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

History

Ordinaries

References