Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Raipur

India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Raipur / Raipuren(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Ambikapur, Jashpur, Raigarh

Neighbouring Dioceses: Chanda (↙), Nagpur (←), Jabalpur (↖), Ambikapur (↗), Raigarh (↗), Sambalpur (→), Rayagada (↘), Jagdalpur (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Mary Queen of the Apostles

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1964.01.16: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Raipur / Raipuren(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nagpur)
1966.06.16: Gained territory from Diocese of Visakhapatnam
1972.03.23: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Exarchate of Jagdalpur
1973.07.05: Promoted as Diocese of Raipur / Raipuren(sis) (Latin)
2004.02.27: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Raipur / Raipuren(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Ambikapur, Jagdalpur and Raigarh)
2006.03.23: Gained suffragan see Jashpur
2025.08.28: Lost suffragan see Jagdalpur

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2013.07.03 – ...):

Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur (71)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Raipur (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur (71)
(2013.07.03 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Raipur (India)

I do it for you

Born:	1954.07.01 (Chakhni, India)
Ordained Priest:	1984.05.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.11.11

Priest of Muzaffarpur (India) (1984.05.03 – 1998.06.27)

Bishop of Bettiah (India) (1998.06.27 – 2013.07.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Raipur (India) (2013.07.03 – ...)

Archbishop Joseph Augustine Charanakunnel (87)
(2004.02.27 – 2013.07.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Raipur (India)

Born:	1938.06.06 (Edamattam, India)
Ordained Priest:	1975.05.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1993.02.07

Bishop of Raipur (India) (1992.11.21 – 2004.02.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Raipur (India) (2004.02.27 – 2013.07.03)

Bishops of Raipur (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Augustine Charanakunnel (87) (later Archbishop)
(1992.11.21 – 2004.02.27)

(see above)

Bishop Philip Ekka, S.J.
(1984.10.20 – 1991.02.15)

Born:	1923.07.22 (Talora, India)
Ordained Priest:	1956.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.02.26
Died:	1991.05.16 († 67)

Bishop of Ambikapur (India) (1977.11.10 – 1984.10.20)

Bishop of Raipur (India) (1984.10.20 – 1991.02.15)

Fr. Werner Hundol, S.A.C.
(Apostolic Administrator 1975.08.23 – 1983.10.20)

Fr. John A. Weidner, S.A.C.
(Apostolic Administrator 1974.02.08 – 1974.08.17)

Fr. John A. Weidner, S.A.C.
(1964.01.17 – 1974.02.08)

Born:	1918.02.17
Ordained Priest:	1949
Died:	1974.08.17 († 56)

Bishop of Raipur (India) (1964.01.17 – 1974.02.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Raipur (India) (1974.02.08 – 1974.08.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Raipur, Chhattīsgarh

Chanda (↙), Nagpur (←), Jabalpur (↖), Ambikapur (↗), Raigarh (↗), Sambalpur (→), Rayagada (↘), Jagdalpur (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 60,819 km²

Population: 48,109 Catholics (0.2% of 21,541,840 total)

Pastoral Centres: 70 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 182 priests (87 diocesan, 95 religious), 646 religious (107 brothers, 539 sisters), 19 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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