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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.
Diocese of Varanasi Dioecesis Varanasiensis वाराणसी के सूबा | |
|---|---|
 St. Mary's Cathedral, Varanasi | |
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| Ecclesiastical province | Agra |
| Metropolitan | Agra |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 21,395 km2 (8,261 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2010) 20,328,000 18,259 (0.1%) |
| Information | |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Cathedral | St Mary's Cathedral in Varanasi |
| Patron saint | John the Baptist, Fidelis of Sigmaringen |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Eugene Joseph |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Albert D'Souza |
| Bishops emeritus | Patrick Paul D'Souza |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
History
edit- Established on 11 July 1946 as Apostolic Prefecture of Gorakhpur, on territory split off from the Diocese of Allahabad, exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See
- 17 September 1958: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Benares-Gorakhpur
- Promoted on 5 June 1970 as Diocese of Banaras (Benares), losing its exempt status by becoming a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agra
- 14 May 1971: Renamed as Diocese of Varanasi (as the city had changed its name).
Ordinaries
edit(all Latin, Roman Rite)
- Apostolic Prefects of Gorakhpur
- Father Joseph Emil Malenfant, OFMCap (6 June 1947 – 17 September 1958 see below)
- Apostolic Prefects of Benares-Gorakhpur
- Joseph Emil Malenfant, OFMCap (see above 17 September 1958 – 1970)
- Bishops of Banaras
- Patrick Paul D'Souza (5 June 1970 – 14 May 1971 see below)
- Bishops of Varanasi
- Patrick Paul D'Souza (see above 14 May 1971 – 24 February 2007), Vice-President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1996 – 1998)
- Raphy Manjaly (24 February 2007 – 2013.10.17), later Bishop of Allahabad (India, in the same province) (2013.10.17 – ...)
- Eugene Joseph (2015.05.30 – ...)