Diocese of

Darjeeling

India , Bhutan

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Darjeeling / 大吉嶺 (正體中文) / Darieelingen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Calcutta

Neighbouring Dioceses: Nepal (←), Kangding 康定 (↑), Itanagar (→), Tezpur (→), Guwahati (→), Bongaigaon (↘), Jalpaiguri (↘), Bagdogra (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1929.02.15: Established as Mission sui juris of Sikkim (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calcutta and Apostolic Vicariate of Dajianlu 打箭爐 and became suffragan of Calcutta)
1931.06.16: Promoted as Apostolic Prefecture of Sikkim
1962.08.08: Promoted as Diocese of Darjeeling / 大吉嶺 (正體中文) / Darieelingen(sis) (Latin) (gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calcutta)
1964.01.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Tezpur
1975.01.20: Gained territory from Diocese of Tezpur
1997.06.14: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bagdogra

Present Prelates

Bishop (1997.06.14 – ...):	Bishop Stephen Lepcha (73)
Coadjutor Bishop (2025.11.29 – ...):	Bishop Edward Baretto (61)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Darjeeling (Roman Rite)

Bishop Stephen Lepcha (73)
(1997.06.14 – ...)

Bishop of Darjeeling (India)

Born:	1952.12.22 (Suruk, India)
Ordained Priest:	1982.12.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.12.08

Priest of Darjeeling (India) (1982.12.15 – 1997.06.14)

Bishop of Darjeeling (India) (1997.06.14 – ...)

Bishop Eric Benjamin
(1962.08.08 – 1994.05.12)

Born:	1920.05.13 (Kurseong, India)
Ordained Priest:	1945.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.10.07
Died:	1994.05.12 († 73)

Bishop of Darjeeling (India) (1962.08.08 – 1994.05.12)

Prefects Apostolic of Sikkim (Roman Rite)

Fr. Aurelio Gianora, C.R.A.
(1937.05.14 – 1962.08.08)

Born:	1908.09.06 (Leontica, Switzerland)
Ordained Priest:	1933.09.23
Died:	1995.12.31 († 87)

Prefect Apostolic of Sikkim (India) (1937.05.14 – 1962.08.08)

Fr. Jules Elmire Douénel, M.E.P.
(1931.06.16 – 1937.04.08)

Born:	1866.09.20 (Saint-Louet-sur-Seulles, France)
Ordained Priest:	1892.07.03
Died:	1940.02.01 (Ooty, India † 73)

Ecclesiastical Superior of Sikkim (India) (1929.02.19 – 1931.06.16)

Prefect Apostolic of Sikkim (India) (1931.06.16 – 1937.04.08)

Ecclesiastical Superiors of Sikkim (Roman Rite)

Fr. Jules Elmire Douénel, M.E.P.
(1929.02.19 – 1931.06.16)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

Nepal (←), Kangding 康定 (↑), Itanagar (→), Tezpur (→), Guwahati (→), Bongaigaon (↘), Jalpaiguri (↘), Bagdogra (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,521 km²

Population: 37,873 Catholics (2.3% of 1,651,350 total)

Pastoral Centres: 62 parishes

Personnel: 158 priests (87 diocesan, 71 religious), 394 religious (117 brothers, 277 sisters), 29 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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