Metropolitan Archdiocese of Patna, India 🇮🇳

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Patna / Patnen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Bettiah, Bhagalpur, Buxar, Muzaffarpur, Purnea

Neighbouring Dioceses: Daltonganj (↙), Buxar (←), Bettiah (↖), Muzaffarpur (↑), Bhagalpur (→), Hazaribag (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Joseph

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1845.02.07: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Patna / Patnen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Tibet-Hindustan)
1886.09.01: Suppressed (to establish Diocese of Allahabad)
1919.09.10: Restored as Diocese of Patna / Patnen(sis) (Latin) (from the suppressed Apostolic Prefecture of Bettiah and became suffragan of Calcutta)
1919.09.19: Gained territory from Diocese of Allahabad
1953.09.19: Became suffragan of Ranchi
1956.08.03: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Bhagalpur
1970.10.08: Lost territory to Diocese of Bhagalpur
1980.03.06: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Muzaffarpur
1983.10.07: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Nepal
1984: Lost territory to Diocese of Bhagalpur
1999.03.16: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Patna / Patnen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Bettiah, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Purnea)
2005.12.12: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Buxar and gained suffragan see Buxar

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2020.12.09 – ...):

Archbishop Sebastian Kallupura (72)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Patna (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Sebastian Kallupura (72)
(2020.12.09 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Patna (India)

Honouring the Lord

Born:	1953.07.14 (Kottiyoor, India)
Ordained Priest:	1984.05.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.06.21

Priest of Patna (India) (1984.05.14 – 2009.04.07)

Bishop of Buxar (India) (2009.04.07 – 2018.06.29)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Patna (India) (2018.06.29 – 2020.12.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Buxar (India) (2018.06.29 – 2023.02.04)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Patna (India) (2020.12.09 – ...)

Archbishop William D’Souza, S.J. (80)
(2007.10.01 – 2020.12.09)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Patna (India)

To serve and not to be served

Born:	1946.03.05 (Madanthar, India)
Ordained Priest:	1976.05.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.03.25

Bishop of Buxar (India) (2005.12.12 – 2007.10.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Patna (India) (2007.10.01 – 2020.12.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Buxar (India) (2007.10.07 – 2009.04.07)

Archbishop Benedict John Osta, S.J.
(1999.03.16 – 2007.10.01)

Born:	1931.08.15 (Blasurahi, India)
Ordained Priest:	1963.06.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.06.21
Died:	2014.01.30 (Patna, India † 82)

Bishop of Patna (India) (1980.03.06 – 1999.03.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Patna (India) (1999.03.16 – 2007.10.01)

Bishops of Patna (Roman Rite)

Bishop Benedict John Osta, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1980.03.06 – 1999.03.16)

(see above)

Bishop Augustine Francis Wildermuth, S.J.
(1947.06.12 – 1980.03.06)

Born:	1904.02.20 (Louis, MO, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1935.07.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.10.28
Died:	1993.06.12 (Patna, India † 89)

Bishop of Patna (India) (1947.06.12 – 1980.03.06)

Bishop Bernard James Sullivan, S.J.
(1929.01.15 – 1946.06.06)

Born:	1889.03.24 (Trinidad, CO, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1921.06.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.03.17
Died:	1970.05.16 (Denver, CO, USA † 81)

Bishop of Patna (India) (1929.01.15 – 1946.06.06)

Titular Bishop of Halicarnassus (1946.06.06 – 1970.05.16)

Bishop Ludovico van Hoeck, S.J.
(1920.07.20 – 1928.02.15)

Born:	1870.04.17 (Antwerpen, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1903
Consecrated Bishop:	1921.03.06
Died:	1933.04.30 († 63)

Bishop of Patna (India) (1920.07.20 – 1928.02.15)

Bishop of Ranchi (India) (1928.02.15 – 1933.04.30)

Vicars Apostolic of Patna (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francis Pesci, O.F.M. Cap.
(1881.05.24 – 1886.09.01)

Born:	1833.08.23 (Firenze, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1857.04.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1881.08.14
Died:	1896.07.09 († 62)

Titular Bishop of Marciana (1881.05.24 – 1886.09.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1881.05.24 – 1886.09.01)

Bishop of Allahabad (India) (1886.09.01 – 1896.07.09)

Bishop Paolo Tosi, O.F.M. Cap.
(1868.02.09 – 1880.09.27)

Born:	1826.04.02 (Cesena, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1853.05.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.06.28
Died:	1901.06.03 (Lahore, Pakistan † 75)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1868.02.09 – 1880.09.27)

Titular Bishop of Rhodiopolis (1868.03.03 – 1901.06.03)

Vicar Apostolic of Punjab (Pakistan) (1880.09.27 – 1886?)

Bishop Anastasius Hartmann, O.F.M. Cap.
(1860.01.24 – 1866.04.24)

Born:	1803.02.24 (Altwis, Switzerland)
Ordained Priest:	1825.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1846.03.15
Died:	1866.04.24 († 63)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1845.10.20 – 1849.08.16)

Titular Bishop of Derbe (1845.10.20 – 1866.04.24)

Vicar Apostolic of Bombay (India) (1854.03.08 – 1858.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Poona (India) (1854.03.08 – 1858.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1860.01.24 – 1866.04.24)

Bishop Atanasio Zuber, O.F.M. Cap.
(1854.03.08 – 1872.05.14)

Born:	1824.06.02 (Wien, Austria)
Ordained Priest:	1848.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1854.07.09
Died:	1872.05.14 († 47)

Titular Bishop of Augustopolis (1854.03.08 – 1872.05.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1854.03.08 – 1872.05.14)

Bishop Anastasius Hartmann, O.F.M. Cap.
(1845.10.20 – 1849.08.16)

Born:	1803.02.24 (Altwis, Switzerland)
Ordained Priest:	1825.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1846.03.15
Died:	1866.04.24 († 63)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1845.10.20 – 1849.08.16)

Titular Bishop of Derbe (1845.10.20 – 1866.04.24)

Vicar Apostolic of Bombay (India) (1854.03.08 – 1858.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Poona (India) (1854.03.08 – 1858.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Patna (India) (1860.01.24 – 1866.04.24)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Sebastian Kallupura (72) (2018.06.29 – 2020.12.09)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Queen of Apostles Cathedral, Patna, Bihār
Former Cathedral: Former Cathedral of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patna, Bihār
Pro-Cathedral: St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral, Patna, Bihār
Minor Basilica: Basilica of Our Lady of Divine Grace, Mokama, Bihār

Daltonganj (↙), Buxar (←), Bettiah (↖), Muzaffarpur (↑), Bhagalpur (→), Hazaribag (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 25,821 km²

Population: 66,590 Catholics (0.2% of 36,151,940 total)

Pastoral Centres: 36 parishes, 9 missions

Personnel: 148 priests (60 diocesan, 88 religious), 751 religious (124 brothers, 627 sisters), 25 seminarians