Diocese of Panevėžys, Lithuania

Continent: East Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Panevėžys / Panevėžen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Vilnius

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1926.04.04: Established as Diocese of Panevėžys / Panevėžen(sis) (Latin) (from the suppressed Diocese of Žemaitija and became suffragan of Kaunas)
1991.12.24: Became suffragan of Vilnius
1997.05.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Šiauliai

Present Prelates

Bishop (2016.05.20 – ...):

Bishop Linas Vodopjanovas (Genadijus), O.F.M. (51)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Panevėžys (Roman Rite)

Bishop Linas Vodopjanovas (Genadijus), O.F.M. (51)
(2016.05.20 – ...)

Bishop of Panevėžys (Lithuania)

Beati pacifici

Born:	1973.06.08 (Neringa, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	2000.07.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.04.14

Titular Bishop of Quiza (2012.02.11 – 2016.05.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (2012.02.11 – 2016.05.20)

Bishop of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (2016.05.20 – ...)

Archbishop Lionginas Virbalas, S.J. (63)
(Apostolic Administrator 2015.07.15 – 2016.05.20)

Bishop Lionginas Virbalas, S.J. (63) (later Archbishop)
(2013.06.06 – 2015.06.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Kaunas (Lithuania)
former Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Lithuania

Simul cum illo

Born:	1961.07.06 (Biržai, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1991.05.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.08.10

Bishop of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (2013.06.06 – 2015.06.11)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Lithuania (2014.10.28 – 2019.03.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kaunas (Lithuania) (2015.06.11 – 2019.03.01)

Apostolic Administrator of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (2015.07.15 – 2016.05.20)

Bishop Jonas Kauneckas (86)
(2002.01.05 – 2013.06.06)

Bishop emeritus of Panevėžys (Lithuania)

Born:	1938.06.06 (Troyoniškis, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1977.05.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.08.05

Priest of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1977.05.22 – 2000.05.13)

Titular Bishop of Forconio (2000.05.13 – 2002.01.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (2000.05.13 – 2002.01.05)

Bishop of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (2002.01.05 – 2013.06.06)

Bishop Juozas Preikšas
(1991.12.24 – 2002.01.05)

Born:	1926.11.22 (Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1951.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1984.12.02
Died:	2018.02.11 († 91)

Titular Bishop of Egnatia (1984.10.31 – 1991.12.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kaunas (Lithuania) (1984.10.31 – 1991.12.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) (1984.10.31 – 1991.12.24)

Apostolic Administrator of Kaunas (Lithuania) (1988.04.27 – 1989.03.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) (1988.04.27 – 1989.03.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (1989.04.02 – 1991.12.24)

Bishop of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (1991.12.24 – 2002.01.05)

Bishop Juozas Preikšas
(Apostolic Administrator 1989.04.02 – 1991.12.24)

Bishop Romualdas Krikšciunas
(Apostolic Administrator 1973.07.06 – 1983.05.15)

Bishop Julijonas Steponavicius (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 1960 – 1973)

Bishop Kaziemiras Paltarokas
(1926.04.05 – 1957.12.08)

Born:	1875.10.22
Ordained Priest:	1902.03.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.05.02
Died:	1958.01.03 († 82)

Bishop of Panevėžys (Lithuania) (1926.04.05 – 1957.12.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Vilnius (Lithuania) (1949.08.09 – 1957.12.08)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Julijonas Steponavicius (later Archbishop) (1955.05.22 – 1960)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Kristaus Karaliaus katedra, Panevėžys, Panevėžys
Minor Basilica: Švč. Mergelės Marijos Ėmimo į dangų bazilika, Krekenava, Panevėžys
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (117)

Kaunas (↙), Šiauliai (←), Jelgava (↑), Vilnius (↘), Kaišiadorys (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 13,000 km²

Population: 230,950 Catholics (81.9% of 282,150 total)

Pastoral Centres: 111 parishes, 4 missions

Personnel: 82 priests (77 diocesan, 5 religious), 58 religious (10 brothers, 48 sisters), 2 seminarians