https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_VaranasiRoman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi - Revision history2026-09-07T10:18:07ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Varanasi&diff=147053&oldid=previmported>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */add authority control2020-04-27T00:58:13Z<p><span class="autocomment">External links: </span>add authority control</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{no footnotes|date=July 2019}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}<br />
{{Infobox diocese<br />
|jurisdiction = Diocese <br />
|name = Varanasi <br />
|latin = Dioecesis Varanasiensis<br />
|local = वाराणसी के सूबा<br />
|image = Saint Mary's Cathedral in Varanasi-1.jpg<br />
|caption = St. Mary's Cathedral, Varanasi<br />
|country = [[India]]<br />
|metropolitan = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra|Agra]]<br />
|province = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra|Agra]]<br />
|rite = [[Latin Rite]]<br />
|cathedral = St Mary's Cathedral in [[Varanasi]]<br />
|cocathedral = <br />
|patron = [[St John the Baptist]]<br>[[St. Fidelis Martyr]] <br />
|area_km2 = 21,395 <br />
|population = 20,328,000<br />
|population_as_of = 2010 <br />
|catholics = 18,259<br />
|catholics_percent= 0.1 <br />
|pope = {{Incumbent pope}}<br />
|bishop = Eugene Joseph<br />
|metro_archbishop = Albert D'Souza<br />
|emeritus_bishops = Patrick Paul D'Souza<br />
|coadjutor = <br />
|auxiliary_bishops= <br />
|website = [http://dioceseofvaranasi.org.in/ Website of the Diocese] <br />
}}<br />
<br />
The '''Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi''' ({{lang-la| Varanasien(sis)}}) is a Latin [[suffragan]] [[diocese]] in the [[Ecclesiastical province]] of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra|Agra]] in northern India' s vast state [[Uttar Pradesh]].<br />
<br />
Its [[cathedral]] episcopal see is St. Mary's Cathedral in the city of [[Varanasi]].<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
* 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<br />
* 17 September 1958: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of '''Benares-Gorakhpur'''<br />
* Promoted on 5 June 1970 as '''Diocese of [[Banaras]]''' (Benares), losing its exempt status by becoming a [[suffragan]] of the Metropolitan [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra|Archdiocese of Agra]]<br />
* 14 May 1971: Renamed as Diocese of Varanasi (as the city had changed its name).<br />
<br />
== Ordinaries ==<br />
(all Latin, [[Roman Rite]])<br />
<br />
; ''Apostolic Prefects of Gorakhpur'' <br />
* Father [[Joseph Emil Malenfant]], [[Capuchin Friars]] (O.F.M. Cap.) (6 June 1947 – 17 September 1958 ''see below'')<br />
; Apostolic Prefects of ''Benares-Gorakhpur'' <br />
* Joseph Emil Malenfant, O.F.M. Cap. (''see above'' 17 September 1958 – 1970)<br />
<br />
; ''Bishops of Banaras'' <br />
* Patrick Paul D'Souza (5 June 1970 – 14 May 1971 ''see below'')<br />
; Bishops of ''Varanasi'' <br />
* [[Patrick Paul D'Souza]] (''see above'' 14 May 1971 – 24 February 2007), Vice-President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1996 – 1998)<br />
* Raphy Manjaly (24 February 2007 – 2013.10.17), later Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Allahabad|Allahabad]] (India, in the same province) (2013.10.17 – ...)<br />
* Eugene Joseph (2015.05.30 – ...)<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<!--- See [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags which will then appear here automatically --><br />
{{Reflist|30em}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* [http://dioceseofvaranasi.org/ Diocese of Varanasi Official Website]<br />
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/vara0.htm GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links] [[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]<br />
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dvrns.html Catholic Hierarchy] [[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Varanasi, Diocese}}<br />
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in India]]<br />
[[Category:Christianity in Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Religion in Varanasi]]<br />
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1946]]<br />
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century]]<br />
[[Category:1946 establishments in India]]</div>imported>Ser Amantio di Nicolao