Diocese of Antwerpen, Belgium 🇧🇪

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Antwerpen (Nederlands) / Antwerp (English) / Anvers (français) / Anversa (Italiano) / Antverpien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Mechelen–Brussel

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Tenhemelopneming van Maria (August 15)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: May 16

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1559.05.12: Established as Diocese of Antwerpen (Nederlands) / Antwerp (English) / Anvers (français) / Anversa (Italiano) / Antverpien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Cambrai and Diocese of Liège and became suffragan of Mechelen)
1801.07.15: Suppressed (to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen and Apostolic Vicariate of ’s-Hertogenbosch)
1961.12.09: Restored as Diocese of Antwerpen (Nederlands) / Antwerp (English) / Anvers (français) / Anversa (Italiano) / Antverpien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen and became suffragan of Mechelen–Brussel)

Contact Info

Address: Bisdom, Schoenmarkt 2, B-2000 Antwerpen, Belgium

Phone: (03) 202.84.30

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1985.05)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2008.10.28 – ...):

Bishop Johan Jozef Bonny (70)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Antwerpen (Roman Rite)

Bishop Johan Jozef Bonny (70)
(2008.10.28 – ...)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium)

Agnus pascet illos

Born:	1955.07.10 (Oostende, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1980.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.01.04

Priest of Brugge (Belgium) (1980.07.20 – 2008.10.28)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (2008.10.28 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Belgium (2016.01.26 – 2023.10.12)

Bishop Paul Van den Berghe (92)
(1980.07.03 – 2008.10.28)

Bishop emeritus of Antwerpen (Belgium)

Libertati nos liberavit

Born:	1933.01.07 (Geraardsbergen, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1957.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.09.07

Priest of Gent (Belgium) (1957.06.15 – 1980.07.03)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1980.07.03 – 2008.10.28)

Bishop Godfried Danneels (later Cardinal)
(1977.11.04 – 1979.12.19)

Apparuit humanitas Dei nostri

Born:	1933.06.04 (Kanegem, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1957.08.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.12.18
Created Cardinal:	1983.02.02
Died:	2019.03.14 (Malines, Belgium † 85)

Priest of Brugge (Belgium) (1957.08.17 – 1977.11.04)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1977.11.04 – 1979.12.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mechelen–Brussel (Belgium) (1979.12.19 – 2010.01.18)

President of Episcopal Conference of Belgium (1979.12.19 – 2010.01.18)

Military Vicar of Belgium (Belgium) (1980.09.15 – 1986.07.21)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Anastasia (1983.02.02 – 2019.03.14)

Military Ordinary of Belgium (Belgium) (1986.07.21 – 2010.01.18)

Bishop Jules Victor Daem
(1962.04.05 – 1977.11.04)

Gratia et pax

Born:	1902.05.11 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1927.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.05.17
Died:	1993.04.24 († 90)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1962.04.05 – 1977.11.04)

Bishop Cornelius Franciscus Nelis
(1785 – 1798.08.21)

Ne lis

Born:	1736.07.05 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1760.09.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1785.06.05
Died:	1798.08.21 († 62)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1785 – 1798.08.21)

Bishop Jacob-Thomas-Jozef Wellens
(1776 – 1784.01.30)

Cœlestibus auspiciis

Born:	1726.09.03 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1751.09.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1776.09.08
Died:	1784.01.30 († 57)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1776 – 1784.01.30)

Bishop Hendrik Gabriel van Gameren
(1758 – 1775.01.26)

Born:	1700.05.28 (Belgium)
Consecrated Bishop:	1759.09.09
Died:	1775.01.26 († 74)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1758 – 1775.01.26)

Bishop Dominicus de Gentis
(1749 – 1758.07.05)

Born:	1695.03.10 (Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1719.11.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1749.05.11
Died:	1758.07.05 († 63)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1749 – 1758.07.05)

Bishop Josephus Anselmus Franciscus Werbrouck
(1746.01.17 – 1747.12.24)

Fortiter et suaviter

Born:	1692.10.10 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1715.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1743.09.29
Died:	1747.12.24 († 55)

Bishop of Roermond (Netherlands) (1743.07.15 – 1746.01.17)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1746.01.17 – 1747.12.24)

Bishop Guilielmus Philippus de Herzelles
(1742 – 1744.09.02)

Ordained Priest:	1706.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1743.05.19
Died:	1744.09.02

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1742 – 1744.09.02)

Bishop Carolus d’Espinoza, O.F.M. Cap.
(1728.06.14 – 1742.07.31)

Born:	1658.12.27 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1685.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1723.11.30
Died:	1742.07.31 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Tricale (1722.09.23 – 1728.06.14)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1728.06.14 – 1742.07.31)

Bishop Peter Josef de Francken-Sierstorff
(1707 – 1727.10.19)

Born:	1667.03.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1711.10.25
Died:	1727.10.19 († 60)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1707 – 1727.10.19)

Bishop Reginaldus Cools, O.P.
(1700.06.12 – 1706.12.02)

Non nobis

Born:	1618.01.28 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1646.09.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1677.01.17
Died:	1706.12.02 († 88)

Bishop of Roermond (Netherlands) (1676.11.16 – 1700.06.12)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1700.06.12 – 1706.12.02)

Bishop Joannes Ferdinandus van Beughem
(1679 – 1699.05.19)

Born:	1630.09.11
Ordained Priest:	1655.03.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1679.11.12
Died:	1699.05.19 († 68)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1679 – 1699.05.19)

Bishop Aubertus van den Eede
(1677 – 1678.11.02)

Jure jurando

Born:	1603.03.16
Ordained Priest:	1628.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1677.10.31
Died:	1678.11.02 († 75)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1677 – 1678.11.02)

Bishop Ambrosius Marius Capello, O.P.
(1654.07.06 – 1676.10.04)

Consecrated Bishop:	1654.09.13
Died:	1676.10.04

Bishop of Ieper (Belgium) (1647 – 1647 not possessed)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1654.07.06 – 1676.10.04)

Archbishop Gaspard Nemius du Bois
(1635.02.12 – 1651.11.27)

Born:	1577.04.23 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1612.03.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1635.07.22
Died:	1667.11.29 († 90)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1635.02.12 – 1651.11.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cambrai (France) ([1649.08.24] 1651.12.01 – 1667.11.29)

Bishop Johannes van Malderen
(1611.05.25 – 1633.10.21)

Malo de re

Born:	1563.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1611.08.07
Died:	1633.10.21 († 70)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1611.05.25 – 1633.10.21)

Bishop Johannes Le Mire
(1604.03.15 – 1611.01.12)

Born:	1560.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1604.05.30
Died:	1611.01.12 († 51)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1604.03.15 – 1611.01.12)

Bishop Guillaume de Berghes (later Archbishop)
(1597.04.14 – 1601.04.09)

Born:	1551
Consecrated Bishop:	1598.03.29
Died:	1609.04.25 († 57)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1597.04.14 – 1601.04.09)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cambrai (France) (1601.04.09 [1601.12.30] – 1609.04.25)

Bishop Liévin van der Beken
(1586.10.27 – 1595.04.26)

Born:	1525.03.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1587.09.20
Died:	1595.04.26 († 70)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1586.10.27 – 1595.04.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Mechelen (Belgium) (1589 – 1589 not possessed)

Bishop Frans van de Velde (Sonnius)
(1570.03.13 – 1576.06.30)

Sine Onere Nihil

Born:	1506.08.12 (Netherlands)
Consecrated Bishop:	1562.11.08
Died:	1576.06.30 († 69)

Bishop of ’s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands) (1561.03.10 – 1570.03.13)

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1570.03.13 – 1576.06.30)

Fr. Filippo Negri
(1561.03.10 – 1563.01.04 not possessed)

Died:

1563.01.04

Bishop of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1561.03.10 – 1563.01.04 not possessed)

Special Churches

Cathedral, World Heritage Site: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen
Minor Basilica: Basiliek Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Lourdes, Edegem, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen
Minor Basilica: Basiliek van het Heilig Hart, Berchem, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen

Gent (←), Breda (↑), ’s-Hertogenbosch (↗), Hasselt (↘), Mechelen–Brussel (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,570 km²

Population: 1,188,250 Catholics (76.6% of 1,551,658 total)

Pastoral Centres: 278 parishes, 42 missions

Personnel: 341 priests (158 diocesan, 183 religious), 71 deacons, 886 religious (183 brothers, 703 sisters), 5 seminarians