Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi

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.

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 km^2 (8,261 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members)	(as of 2010) 20,328,000 18,259 (0.1%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	St Mary's Cathedral in Varanasi
Patron saint	St John the Baptist St. Fidelis Martyr
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Eugene Joseph
Metropolitan Archbishop	Albert D'Souza
Bishops emeritus	Patrick Paul D'Souza
Website
Website of the Diocese

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

History

• 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

(all Latin, Roman Rite)

Apostolic Prefects of Gorakhpur

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

Apostolic Prefects of Benares-Gorakhpur

• Joseph Emil Malenfant, O.F.M. Cap. (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 – ...)

References

External links

• Diocese of Varanasi Official Website
• GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links ^{[self-published]}
• Catholic Hierarchy ^{[self-published]}