Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam

Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam

Archidioecesis Visakhapatnamensis

విశాఖపట్నం ఆర్చ్డియోసెస్
Location
CountryIndia
Ecclesiastical provinceVisakhapatnam
Statistics
Area25,950 km2 (10,020 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2010)
12,640,684
247,231 (2%)
Information
RiteLatin Rite
CathedralSt Peter’s Cathedral in Visakhapatnam
Co-cathedralSt Anne’s Co-Cathedral in Visakhapatnam
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
Metropolitan Archbishopsede vacante
Bishops emeritusPrakash Mallavarapu

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam (Latin: Archdioecesis Visakhapatnamensis) is an archdiocese located in the city of Visakhapatnam in India.

History

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  • 16 March 1845: Established as the Apostolic Pro-Vicariate of Vizagapatam from the Apostolic Vicariate of Madras[1]
  • 3 April 1850: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Vizagapatam
  • 1 September 1886: Promoted as Diocese of Vizagapatam
  • 21 October 1950: Renamed as Diocese of Visakhapatnam
  • 16 October 2001: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam

Claretian Missionary Fathers (CMF) entered the diocese in the year 1888. In 1845, Rome entrusted a vast area of Eastern and Central India to the MSFS, who set their headquarters in Visakhapatnam. The first group of MSFS landed on the East coast of India on 8 September 1845. The order of Friars Minor Capuchins. A novitiate was opened in India in 1922 thus planting the order in the Indian soil.

Bishops

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Pro-Vicars Apostolic

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  1. Fr. Jacques Henri Gailhot, (16 March 1845 – 1847)
  2. Fr. Theophile Sebastian Neyret, M.S.F.S. (1847–1850); continued as Vicar Apostolic

Vicars Apostolic

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  1. Bishop Theophile Sebastian Neyret, M.S.F.S. (1850–1862)
  2. Bishop Jean Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S. (1862–1886); continued as the first bishop

Bishops of Visakhapatnam (Vizagapatam until 1950)

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  1. Bishop Jean Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S. (1886–1890)
  2. Bishop Jean-Marie Clerc, M.S.F.S. (1891–1926)
  3. Bishop Pierre Rossillon, M.S.F.S. (1926–1947)
  4. Bishop Joseph-Alphonse Baud, M.S.F.S. (1947–1966)
  5. Bishop Ignatius Gopu, M.S.F.S. (1966–1981)
  6. Bishop Kagithapu Mariadas, M.S.F.S. (1982–2001); continued as Archbishop

Archbishops of Visakhapatnam

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  1. Archbishop Kagithapu Mariadas, M.S.F.S. (2001–2012)
  2. Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu (2012–2024)[2]

Suffragan dioceses

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References

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  1. ^ "History | Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam".
  2. ^ "Resignations and Appointments". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 18 February 2024.

Sources

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17°43′09″N 83°17′05″E / 17.7193°N 83.2846°E / 17.7193; 83.2846