Roman Catholic Diocese of Vijayawada

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vijayawada (Latin: Viiayavadan(us)) is a diocese located in the city of Vijayawada in the Ecclesiastical province of Visakhapatnam in India. Administratively, the diocese encompasses the geographical Krishna district of the state of Andhra Pradesh . The Diocese of Vijayawada has the largest catholic population(.35 million) among all the Suffragan dioceses of the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam.

Diocese of Vijayawada

Dioecesis Viiayavadanus

విజయవాడ మేత్రాసనము
Location
CountryIndia
TerritoryAndhra Pradesh
Ecclesiastical provinceVisakhapatnam
MetropolitanVisakhapatnam
Statistics
Area8,734 km2 (3,372 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics (including non-members)		(as of 2017)
4,730,650
3,59,530 (7.6%)
Parishes98
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
Established10 January 1933
CathedralSt Paul’s Cathedral in Vijayawada
Co-cathedralSt Peter’s Co-Cathedral in Vijayawada
Patron SaintsSaints Peter and Paul
Secular priests276
LanguageTelugu, English
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopThelagathoti J. Raja Rao, S.M.M.
Metropolitan ArchbishopPrakash Mallavarapu
Vicar General
  • Msgr. Muvvala Prasad,
  • Msgr. Mesapam Gabriel
Map
Website
www.vijayawadadiocese.org
St.Paul's Cathedral, Vijayawada

History
  • 10 January 1933: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Bezwada from the Diocese of Hyderabad
  • 13 April 1937: Promoted as Diocese of Bezwada
  • 21 October 1950: Renamed as Diocese of Vijayawada

Diocesan demographics

As of 2017 the Catholic population of the diocese was 3,50,000. These Catholics were served by 189 diocesan priests and 32 priests of religious orders in 98 parishes. Also laboring in the diocese were 37 religious brothers, and 795 nuns

Leadership
  • Bishop Thelagathoti J. Raja Rao, S.M.M. (2 February 2016 – Present)
  • Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu (26 July 2002 – 3 July 2012); named Metropolitan Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
  • Bishop Marampudi Joji (Later Archbishop) (8 November 1996 – 29 January 2000)
  • Bishop Joseph S. Thumma (23 January 1971 – 8 November 1996)
  • Bishop Ambrose De Battista, P.I.M.E. (13 December 1951 – 23 January 1971)

Parishes
St.Paul's CathedralSt.Peter's Co-CathedralAgiripalli
AjitsinghnagarArugolanuAssisi nagar (Konkepudi)
AvanigaddaAvutapalliAzzampudi
BantumilliBhaskarao petaBhyravapatnam
Bodavada- JammavaramCarmel nagarChallapalli
ChanubandaChatraiChillakallu
ChristurajupuramEdaraEdulagudem
EnikepaduGampalagudemGannavaram
GollapudiGoodmanpetaGudivada
GudlavalleruGunadalaGuntupalli
JagannadhapuramJaggayyapetaJeevan nagar (Jakkampudi)
JojinagarJyothinagarKaikaluru
KalidindiKambhampaduKanchikacherla
KankipaduKanuruKeesara
KesarapalliKoduruKondapalli
KondapavuluruKorukolluKotapadu
KothapalliKuchipudiLabbipeta
LourdhunagarMachilipatnamMallavalli
ManginapudiMariapuram (Lakshmipuram)Muchintala
MudinepalliMunagalapalliMusunuru
MylavaramNagayalankaNandigama
NawabupetaNehrupetaNunna
Nuzvid townPaidurupaduPamarru
Peda-mustabadPedanaPenamaluru
PenugolanuPezzonipetaPolukonda
Raja rajeswaripetaRamanakkapetaRanigarithota
Sahaya nagar (Ibrahimpatnam)SaradanagarSatynarayanapuram
SiluvagirinagarTelaproluTheresanagar
ThukkuluruThurlapaduTiruvuru
UppaluruVanukuruVatsavai
VelagalagudemVellaturuVelpur
VennanapudiVentrapragadaVisannapeta
VuyyuruYesupuram

Shrines
  • Gunadalamatha-Shrine
  • Br Joseph Thamby Shrine Avutapally
  • Lourdu Matha Shrine, Vennanapudi

Seminaries
  • St. Ambrose Minor Seminary, Nuzivid(1957)
  • Angel Minor Seminary, Nuzivid
  • St.Paul's Regional Seminary(1984)
  • St.Joseph's Major Seminary, Chinavutapalli (2000)

Education

As of 2019, the diocese has 27 Elementary schools, 9 Upper primary Schools, 50 High Schools, 3 Higher Secondary Schools, 10 Colleges, 2 Nursing training Institutes, 10 Non-Formal training centers, 16 Parish Elementary Schools departing education from pre-kindergarten through Post Graduation.

Catholic Institutions of Repute :

  • Andhra Loyola college
  • Maris Stella College
  • NSM Public School
  • Nirmala High School
  • VSt.Johns, Gannavaram
  • Atkinsons High
  • St.Mary's English Medium School, Kankipadu

Media & Publications
  • RADIO MARIA, Vijayawada.
  • DIVYAVANI TV Zonal Productions, Vijayawada.
  • IN VINCULO CHRISTI (Published since 1957)

Saints and causes for canonisation
  • Servant of God Joseph Thamby, OFS[1]

References
  1. "Saints & Blessed – CCBI". Retrieved 17 October 2019.

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