Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh, Cambodia 🇰🇭

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Apostolic Vicariate

Name: Phnom Penh / 金邊 (正體中文) / de Phnom-Penh (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Neighbouring Dioceses: Bătdâmbâng (↖), Kompong Cham (↗), Long Xuyên (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1850.08.30: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Cambodia (from Apostolic Vicariate of Western Cochin)
1924.12.03: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh / 金邊 (正體中文) / de Phnom-Penh (Latin)
1955.09.20: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Cân Tho
1968.09.23: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Bătdâmbâng and Apostolic Prefecture of Kompong Cham

Present Prelates

Vicar Apostolic (2010.10.01 – ...):

Bishop Olivier Michel Marie Schmitthaeusler, M.E.P. (55)

Titular Bishop of Catabum castra

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic (2025.06.28 – ...):

Bishop Pierre Suon Hangly (53)

Apostolic Administrator of Kompong Cham (Cambodia)

Prefect Apostolic emeritus of Kompong Cham (Cambodia)

Ordinaries

Vicars Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Roman Rite)

Bishop Olivier Michel Marie Schmitthaeusler, M.E.P. (55)
(2010.10.01 – ...)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
Titular Bishop of Catabum castra

Caritas Christi urget nos

Born:	1970.06.26 (Strasbourg, France)
Ordained Priest:	1998.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.03.20

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (2009.12.24 – 2010.10.01)

Titular Bishop of Catabum castra (2009.12.24 – ...)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (2010.10.01 – ...)

President of Episcopal Conference of Laos and Cambodia (2014 – 2019.11.30)

Bishop Emile Destombes, M.E.P.
(2001.04.14 – 2010.10.01)

Born:	1935.08.15 (Roncq, France)
Ordained Priest:	1961.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.10.05
Died:	2016.01.28 (Phnom-Penh, Cambodia † 80)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1997.04.14 – 2001.04.14)

Titular Bishop of Altava (1997.04.14 – 2016.01.28)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (2001.04.14 – 2010.10.01)

President of Episcopal Conference of Laos and Cambodia (2005 – 2009.12)

Bishop Yves-Georges-René Ramousse, M.E.P.
(1992 – 2001.04.14)

Born:	1928.02.23 (Sembadel, France)
Ordained Priest:	1953.04.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.02.24
Died:	2021.02.26 (Montauban, France † 93)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1962.11.12 – 1976)

Titular Bishop of Pisita (1962.11.12 – 2021.02.26)

Apostolic Administrator of Bătdâmbâng (Cambodia) (1992 – 2000.04.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1992 – 2001.04.14)

President of Episcopal Conference of Laos and Cambodia (1995 – 2000)

Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas
(1976.04.30 – 1977.09)

Born:	1937.10.21 (Preah Meada, Cambodia)
Ordained Priest:	1964.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.04.14
Died:	1977.09 (Taing Kok, Cambodia † 39)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1975.04.06 – 1976.04.30)

Titular Bishop of Sigus (1975.04.06 – 1977.09)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1976.04.30 – 1977.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Kompong Cham (Cambodia) (1976.05.05 – 1977.09)

Bishop Yves-Georges-René Ramousse, M.E.P.
(1962.11.12 – 1976)

Born:	1928.02.23 (Sembadel, France)
Ordained Priest:	1953.04.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.02.24
Died:	2021.02.26 (Montauban, France † 93)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1962.11.12 – 1976)

Titular Bishop of Pisita (1962.11.12 – 2021.02.26)

Apostolic Administrator of Bătdâmbâng (Cambodia) (1992 – 2000.04.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1992 – 2001.04.14)

President of Episcopal Conference of Laos and Cambodia (1995 – 2000)

Bishop Gustave-André-Ferdinand Raballand, M.E.P.
(1956.02.29 – 1962.04)

Born:	1901.10.30 (Le-Perrier, France)
Ordained Priest:	1925.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.05.01
Died:	1973.01.13 (Montbeton, France † 71)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1956.02.29 – 1962.04)

Titular Bishop of Eguga (1956.02.29 – 1973.01.13)

Bishop Jean-Baptiste-Maximilien Chabalier, M.E.P.
(1937.12.02 – 1955.06.11)

Born:	1887.09.27 (Cheylard-l’Evêque, France)
Ordained Priest:	1913.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.02.24
Died:	1955.06.11 (Phnom Penh, Cambodia † 67)

Titular Bishop of Pharan (1937.12.02 – 1955.06.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1937.12.02 – 1955.06.11)

Bishop Valentin Herrgott, M.E.P.
(1928.12.17 – 1936.03.23)

Born:	1864.10.11 (Mitzach, France)
Ordained Priest:	1889.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1928.05.01
Died:	1936.03.23 (Phnom-Penh, Cambodia † 71)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1928.02.18 – 1928.12.17)

Titular Bishop of Samosata (1928.02.18 – 1936.03.23)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1928.12.17 – 1936.03.23)

Bishop Jean-Claude Bouchut, M.E.P.
(1902.07.23 – 1928.12.17)

Born:	1860.03.04 (Saint-Christo-en-Jarez, France)
Ordained Priest:	1883.02.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1902.09.21
Died:	1928.12.17 († 68)

Titular Bishop of Panemotichus (1902.07.23 – 1928.12.17)

Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (1902.07.23 – 1928.12.17)

Vicars Apostolic of Cambodia (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Baptiste Grosgeorge, M.E.P.
(1896.01.28 – 1902.03.01)

Born:	1846.06.15 (La Voivre, France)
Ordained Priest:	1869.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1896.05.24
Died:	1902.03.01 († 55)

Titular Bishop of Œa (1896.01.28 – 1902.03.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Cambodia (Cambodia) (1896.01.28 – 1902.03.01)

Bishop Marie-Laurent-François-Xavier Cordier, M.E.P.
(1882.06.18 – 1895.08.14)

Born:	1821.05.01 (Villar-Saint-Pancrace, France)
Ordained Priest:	1847.06.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1882.09.01
Died:	1895.08.14 († 74)

Titular Bishop of Gratianopolis (1882.06.18 – 1895.08.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Cambodia (Cambodia) (1882.06.18 – 1895.08.14)

Bishop Isidore-François-Joseph Colombert, M.E.P.
(1872.02.16 – 1882)

Born:	1838.03.19 (Sainte-Marie-du-Bois, France)
Ordained Priest:	1863.05.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1872.07.25
Died:	1894.12.31 (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam † 56)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Western Cochin (Vietnam) (1872.02.06 – 1873.12.01)

Titular Bishop of Samosata (1872.02.06 – 1894.12.31)

Vicar Apostolic of Cambodia (Cambodia) (1872.02.16 – 1882)

Vicar Apostolic of Western Cochin (Vietnam) (1873.12.01 – 1894.12.31)

Bishop Jean-Claude Miche, M.E.P.
(Apostolic Administrator 1850.08.27 – 1869)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Olivier Michel Marie Schmitthaeusler, M.E.P. (55) (2009.12.24 – 2010.10.01)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Emile Destombes, M.E.P. (1997.04.14 – 2001.04.14)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas (1975.04.06 – 1976.04.30)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Valentin Herrgott, M.E.P. (1928.02.18 – 1928.12.17)

Special Churches

Pro-Cathedral: Pro-Cathedral of St. Joseph, Phnom Penh

Bătdâmbâng (↖), Kompong Cham (↗), Long Xuyên (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 32,063 km²

Population: 13,508 Catholics (0.2% of 6,496,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 8 parishes, 43 missions

Personnel: 45 priests (3 diocesan, 42 religious), 183 religious (70 brothers, 113 sisters), 6 seminarians