St. Mary's Cathedral, 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. 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, 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 – ...)