Diocese of Bielsko–Żywiec, Poland

Continent: East Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Bielsko–Żywiec / Bielscen(sis)–Żyviecen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kraków

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Maximilian Kolbe (August 14), Saint Jan Sarkander (May 30), Saint John Cantius (October 20)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 24

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1992.03.25: Established as Diocese of Bielsko–Żywiec / Bielscen(sis)–Żyviecen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kraków and Diocese of Katowice and became suffragan of Kraków)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2013.11.16 – ...):	Bishop Roman Pindel (66)
Auxiliary Bishop (2011.10.22 – ...):	Bishop Piotr Greger (60) Titular Bishop of Assava

Ordinaries

Bishops of Bielsko–Żywiec (Roman Rite)

Bishop Roman Pindel (66)
(2013.11.16 – ...)

Bishop of Bielsko–Żywiec (Poland)

Verbum vitæ continentes

Born:	1958.11.18 (Oświęcim, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1983.05.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.01.06

Priest of Kraków (Poland) (1983.05.22 – 2013.11.16)

Bishop of Bielsko–Żywiec (Poland) (2013.11.16 – ...)

Bishop Tadeusz Rakoczy (86)
(1992.03.25 – 2013.11.16)

Bishop emeritus of Bielsko–Żywiec (Poland)

In ædificationem Corporis Christi

Born:	1938.03.30 (Gilowice, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1963.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.04.26

Priest of Kraków (Poland) (1963.06.23 – 1992.03.25)

Bishop of Bielsko–Żywiec (Poland) (1992.03.25 – 2013.11.16)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Janusz Edmund Zimniak (1992.03.25 – 2010.01.16)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Katedra św. Mikołaja, Bielsko-Biała, Śląskie
Co-Cathedral: Konkatedra Narodzenia NMP, Żywiec, Śląskie
Minor Basilica: Bazylika Nawiedzenia Najświętszej Maryi Panny, Hałcnow, Śląskie
Minor Basilica: Bazylika św. Mikołaja, Rychwałd, Śląskie
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
Shrines in the Ordinary Jubilee 2025

Churches by City (214)

Ostrava–Opava (←), Katowice (↑), Kraków (→), Žilina (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 3,000 km²

Population: 654,867 Catholics (83.9% of 780,942 total)

Pastoral Centres: 210 parishes

Personnel: 639 priests (520 diocesan, 119 religious), 590 religious (180 brothers, 410 sisters), 34 seminarians

Diocese of

Bielsko–Żywiec 𝐖

Poland