Diocese of Purnea, India 🇮🇳

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Purnea / Purneaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Patna

Neighbouring Dioceses: Bhagalpur (↙), Muzaffarpur (←), Nepal (↖), Bagdogra (↗), Raiganj (→), Dumka (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Peter

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1998.06.27: Established as Diocese of Purnea / Purneaën(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Dumka and became suffragan of Ranchi)
1999.03.16: Became suffragan of Patna

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.02.17 – ...):

Bishop Francis Tirkey (64)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Purnea (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francis Tirkey (64)
(2024.02.17 – ...)

Bishop of Purnea (India)

Born:	1961.07.24 (Kolodiah, India)
Ordained Priest:	1993.05.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.04.04

Priest of Dumka (India) (1993.05.17 – 1998.06.27)

Priest of Purnea (India) (1998.06.27 – 2024.02.17)

Bishop of Purnea (India) (2024.02.17 – ...)

Bishop Angelus Kujur, S.J. (79)
(2007.01.20 – 2021.12.08)

Bishop emeritus of Purnea (India)

Feed my lambs

Born:	1946.07.14 (Mundaltoli, India)
Ordained Priest:	1980.04.13
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.04.18

Bishop of Purnea (India) (2007.01.20 – 2021.12.08)

Bishop Vincent Barwa (72)
(1998.06.27 – 2004.09.29)

Bishop of Simdega (India)

Vis amoris Domini

Born:	1953.10.18 (Rengarih, India)
Ordained Priest:	1984.05.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.11.08

Priest of Ranchi (India) (1984.05.02 – 1998.06.27)

Bishop of Purnea (India) (1998.06.27 – 2004.09.29)

Titular Bishop of Acufida (2004.09.29 – 2008.02.11)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi (India) (2004.09.29 – 2008.02.11)

Bishop of Simdega (India) (2008.02.11 – ...)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Peter’s Cathedral, Purnea, Bihār

Bhagalpur (↙), Muzaffarpur (←), Nepal (↖), Bagdogra (↗), Raiganj (→), Dumka (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 15,733 km²

Population: 30,900 Catholics (0.3% of 10,343,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 17 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 54 priests (41 diocesan, 13 religious), 111 religious (19 brothers, 92 sisters), 18 seminarians