Diocese of Telšiai–Klaipėda, Lithuania

Continent: East Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Telšiai / Telsen(sis) (Latin)

United Title: Klaipėda

Ecclesiastical Province: Kaunas

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1926.04.04: Established as Diocese of Telšiai / Telsen(sis) (Latin) (from the suppressed Diocese of Žemaitija and became suffragan of Kaunas)
1991.12.24: Gained territory from the suppressed Territorial Prelature of Klaipėda and gained title of Klaipėda
1997.05.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Šiauliai

United Titles

Klaipėda (1991.12.24 – ...)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2020.06.01 – ...):

Bishop Algirdas Jurevičius (52)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Telšiai (Roman Rite)

Bishop Algirdas Jurevičius (52)
(2020.06.01 – ...)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania)

Servite Domino in lætitia

Born:	1972.03.24 (Vievis, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1996.12.26
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.08.19

Priest of Kaišiadorys (Lithuania) (1996.12.26 – 2018.07.02)

Titular Bishop of Materiana (2018.07.02 – 2020.06.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kaunas (Lithuania) (2018.07.02 – 2020.06.01)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (2020.06.01 – ...)

Bishop Kęstutis Kėvalas (52) (later Archbishop)
(2017.09.18 – 2020.02.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kaunas (Lithuania)

Christus spes mea

Born:	1972.02.17 (Kaunas, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	2000.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.11.24

Priest of Kaunas (Lithuania) (2000.06.29 – 2012.09.27)

Titular Bishop of Abziri (2012.09.27 – 2017.04.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kaunas (Lithuania) (2012.09.27 – 2017.04.20)

Coadjutor Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (2017.04.20 – 2017.09.18)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (2017.09.18 – 2020.02.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kaunas (Lithuania) (2020.02.19 – ...)

Bishop Jonas Algimantas Boruta, S.J.
(2002.01.05 – 2017.09.18)

Amando servare

Born:	1944.10.11 (Garliava, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1982.08.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.06.21
Died:	2022.12.19 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Vulturara (1997.05.28 – 2002.01.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Vilnius (Lithuania) (1997.05.28 – 2002.01.05)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (2002.01.05 – 2017.09.18)

Bishop Antanas Vaičius
(1989.03.10 – 2001.05.26)

Born:	1926.04.05 (Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1950.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.07.25
Died:	2008.11.25 († 82)

Titular Bishop of Sullectum (1982.07.05 – 1989.03.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1982.07.05 – 1989.03.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Klaipėda (Lithuania) (1982.07.05 – 1991.12.24)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1989.03.10 – 2001.05.26)

Bishop Antanas Vaičius
(Apostolic Administrator 1982.07.05 – 1989.03.10)

Bishop Juozapas Pletkus
(Apostolic Administrator 1967.11.08 – 1975.09.29)

Bishop Petras Mazelis
(1964.02.14 – 1966.05.21)

Born:	1894.09.21
Ordained Priest:	1923.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.09.11
Died:	1966.05.21 († 71)

Bishop-Prelate of Klaipėda (Lithuania) (1949.12.20 – 1966.05.21)

Titular Bishop of Celenderis (1955.05.22 – 1964.02.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1955.05.22 – 1964.02.14)

Apostolic Administrator of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1959.11.10 – 1964.02.14)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1964.02.14 – 1966.05.21)

Bishop Petras Mazelis
(Apostolic Administrator 1959.11.10 – 1964.02.14)

Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius
(1944.01.21 – 1963.12.10)

Born:	1887.11.23
Ordained Priest:	1910.05.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.03.10
Died:	1963.12.10 († 76)

Titular Bishop of Lysias (1940.02.03 – 1944.01.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1940.02.03 – 1944.01.21)

Apostolic Administrator of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1943 – 1944.01.21)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1944.01.21 – 1963.12.10)

Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius
(Apostolic Administrator 1943 – 1944.01.21)

Bishop Justinas Staugaitis
(1926.04.05 – 1943.07.08)

Born:	1866.11.14
Ordained Priest:	1890.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.05.24
Died:	1943.07.08 († 76)

Bishop-Prelate of Klaipėda (Lithuania) (1926.04.05 – 1939)

Bishop of Telšiai (Lithuania) (1926.04.05 – 1943.07.08)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Kęstutis Kėvalas (52) (later Archbishop) (2017.04.20 – 2017.09.18)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Linas Vodopjanovas (Genadijus), O.F.M. (51) (2012.02.11 – 2016.05.20)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jonas Kauneckas (86) (2000.05.13 – 2002.01.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Liudas Povilonis, M.I.C. (later Archbishop) (1969.11.07 – 1973.07.07)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Petras Mazelis (1955.05.22 – 1964.02.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pranciskus Ramanauskas (1944.02.28 – 1959.10.17)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius (1940.02.03 – 1944.01.21)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Šv. Antano Paduviečio katedra, Telšiai, Telšiai
Former Cathedral: Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Pauliaus bažnyčia, Varniai, Telšiai
Former Cathedral: Švč. M. Marijos, Taikos Karalienės bažnyčia, Klaipėda, Klaipėda
Minor Basilica: Švč. Mergelės Marijos Apsilankymo bazilika, Žemaičių Kalvarija, Telšiai
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (155)

Liepāja (↖), Jelgava (↗), Šiauliai (→), Kaunas (↘), Mother of God at Moscow (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 13,373 km²

Population: 343,322 Catholics (72.8% of 471,819 total)

Pastoral Centres: 153 parishes, 95 missions

Personnel: 146 priests (132 diocesan, 14 religious), 48 religious (15 brothers, 33 sisters), 5 seminarians