Diocese of Łomża, Poland 🇵🇱

Continent: East Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Łomża / Łomżen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Białystok

Neighbouring Dioceses: Warszawa-Praga (↙), Płock (←), Warmia (↖), Ełk (↑), Białystok (→), Drohiczyn (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Bruno of Querfurt (July 12), Saint Andrzej Bobola (May 16)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 4

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1925.10.28: Established as Diocese of Łomża / Łomżen(sis) (Latin) (from the suppressed Diocese of Augustów, gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Warszawa and Diocese of Płock and became suffragan of Vilnius)
1926.04.04: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Vilkaviškis
1991.04.13: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Grodno
1992.03.25: Gained territory from Diocese of Płock, lost territory to establish Diocese of Ełk and became suffragan of Białystok

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1991.06)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.11.11 – ...):	Bishop Janusz Bogusław Stepnowski (68)
Auxiliary Bishop (2006.02.11 – ...):	Bishop Tadeusz Bronakowski (66) Titular Bishop of Tigisi in Mauretania

Monsignors (102)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Łomża (Roman Rite)

Bishop Janusz Bogusław Stepnowski (68)
(2011.11.11 – ...)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland)

Gratia et pax

Born:	1958.07.11 (Ostrołęka, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1985.06.01
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.12.18

Bureau Chief of Congregation for Bishops (? – 2011.11.11)

Priest of Łomża (Poland) (1985.06.01 – 2011.11.11)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1995.03.09 – 2005.03.18)

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness (2005.03.18 – 2011.11.11)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (2011.11.11 – ...)

Bishop Stanisław Stefanek, S.Chr.
(1996.10.26 – 2011.11.11)

In omnibus Christus

Born:	1936.05.07 (Majdan Sobieszczański, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1959.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.08.24
Died:	2020.01.17 (Lublin, Poland † 83)

Titular Bishop of Forlimpopoli (1980.07.04 – 1996.10.26)

Auxiliary Bishop of Szczecin–Kamień (Poland) (1980.07.04 – 1996.10.26)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (1996.10.26 – 2011.11.11)

Bishop Juliusz Paetz (later Archbishop)
(1982.12.20 – 1996.04.11)

In Nomine Domini

Born:	1935.02.02 (Poznań, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1959.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.01.06
Died:	2019.11.15 (Pleszew, Poland † 84)

Priest of Poznań (Poland) (1959.06.28 – 1982.12.20)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1973.02.02 – 1976.11.06)

Prelate of Antechamber of Prefecture of the Papal Household (1976.11.06 – 1982.12.20)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (1982.12.20 – 1996.04.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Poznań (Poland) (1996.04.11 – 2002.03.28)

Bishop Mikołaj Sasinowski
(1970.03.19 – 1982.09.06)

Quis ut Deus

Born:	1909.11.16 (Mieczki, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1936.03.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.04.05
Died:	1982.09.06 (Łomża, Poland † 72)

Priest of Łomża (Poland) (1936.03.28 – 1970.03.19)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (1970.03.19 – 1982.09.06)

Bishop Czesław Falkowski
(1949.02.24 – 1969.08.25)

Born:	1887.11.28 (Varsavia, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1910.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.05.08
Died:	1969.08.25 (Łomża, Poland † 81)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (1949.02.24 – 1969.08.25)

Bishop Stanisław Kostka Łomżyński
(1926.06.24 – 1948.10.28)

Born:	1874.10.21 (Borek, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1898.02.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1920.05.23
Died:	1948.10.28 († 74)

Priest of Gniezno (Poland) (1898.02.24 – 1920.03.09)

Titular Bishop of Sicca Veneria (1920.03.09 – 1926.06.24)

Auxiliary Bishop of Gniezno (Poland) (1920.03.09 – 1926.06.24)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Poland (1926 – 1946)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (1926.06.24 – 1948.10.28)

Bishop Romuald Jałbrzykowski (later Archbishop)
(1925.12.14 – 1926.06.24)

Born:	1876.02.07 (Łętowo-Dąb, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1901.03.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1918.11.30
Died:	1955.06.19 († 79)

Priest of Łomża (Poland) (1901.03.09 – 1918.07.29)

Titular Bishop of Cusæ (1918.07.29 – 1925.12.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of Augustów (Poland) (1918.07.29 – 1925.12.14)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Poland (1925 – 1926)

Bishop of Łomża (Poland) (1925.12.14 – 1926.06.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Vilnius (Lithuania) (1926.06.24 – 1955.06.19)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Edward Eugeniusz Samsel (1982.05.17 – 1992.03.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Tadeusz Józef Zawistowski (1973.05.12 – 2006.02.11)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Aleksander Moscicki (1952.02.06 – 1980.11.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Paolo Ceslao Rydzewski (1946.12.06 – 1951.08.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Tadeusz Pawel Zakrzewski (1938.08.08 – 1946.04.12)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Bernardo Dembek (1930.07.25 – 1937.06.27)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Polikarp Antoni Augustyn Marciejewski (1819.06.04 – 1827.10.19)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Katedra św. Michała Archanioła, Łomża, Podlaskie
Minor Basilica: Bazylika kolegiacka Trójcy Przenajświętszej, Myszyniec, Mazowieckie
Minor Basilica: Bazylika Wniebowzięcia NMP, Sokoły, Podlaskie
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Warszawa-Praga (↙), Płock (←), Warmia (↖), Ełk (↑), Białystok (→), Drohiczyn (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 11,500 km²

Population: 491,838 Catholics (98.8% of 497,773 total)

Pastoral Centres: 183 parishes, 120 missions

Personnel: 504 priests (482 diocesan, 22 religious), 1 deacon, 132 religious (30 brothers, 102 sisters), 30 seminarians