Diocese of Simla and Chandigarh, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Simla and Chandigarh (English) / Simlen(sis) et Chandigarhen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Delhi

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Joseph, St. Michael

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1959.06.04: Established as Diocese of Simla / Simlen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Delhi and Simla and became suffragan of Delhi)
1964.05.12: Renamed as Diocese of Simla and Chandigarh (English) / Simlen(sis) et Chandigarhen(sis) (Latin)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.04.12 – ...):

Bishop-elect Sahaya Thatheus Thomas (53)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Simla and Chandigarh (Roman Rite)

Bishop-elect Sahaya Thatheus Thomas (53)
(2025.04.12 – ...)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India)

Born:	1971.11.06 (Chinnavilai, Tamil Nādu, India)
Ordained Priest:	2001.05.13

Priest of Jalandhar (India) (2001.05.13 – 2025.04.12)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India) (2025.04.12 – ...)

Bishop Ignatius Loyola Ivan Mascarenhas (75)
(2009.02.10 – 2025.04.12)

Bishop emeritus of Simla and Chandigarh (India)

Justice, Love, Humility

Born:	1949.06.03 (Delhi, India)
Ordained Priest:	1977.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.04.03

Priest of Delhi (India) (1977.12.17 – 2009.02.10)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India) (2009.02.10 – 2025.04.12)

Bishop Gerald John Mathias (71)
(1999.12.22 – 2007.11.08)

Bishop of Lucknow (India)

Towards new society

Born:	1953.09.20 (Kallianpur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1979.04.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.04.09

Priest of Lucknow (India) (1979.04.22 – 1999.12.22)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India) (1999.12.22 – 2007.11.08)

Bishop of Lucknow (India) (2007.11.08 – ...)

Bishop Gilbert Blaize Rego
(1971.03.11 – 1999.11.10)

Born:	1921.09.03 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1953.12.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.09.11
Died:	2012.06.21 († 90)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India) (1971.03.11 – 1999.11.10)

Bishop Alfred Fernández
(1967.04.13 – 1970.06.25)

Born:	1915.09.08 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1942.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.06.29
Died:	1983.01.27 († 67)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India) (1967.04.13 – 1970.06.25)

Bishop of Allahabad (India) (1970.06.25 – 1975.12.15)

Archbishop Joseph Alexander Fernandes
(Apostolic Administrator 1966 – 1967.04.13)

Bishop John Burke
(1964.05.12 – 1966.08.03)

Born:	1896.03.13 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1921.06.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.11.01
Died:	1970.07.24 († 74)

Apostolic Administrator of Delhi and Simla (India) (1950 – 1951.04.12)

Bishop of Simla (India) (1959.06.04 – 1964.05.12)

Bishop of Simla and Chandigarh (India) (1964.05.12 – 1966.08.03)

Titular Bishop of Bononia (1966.08.03 – 1970.07.24)

Bishops of Simla (Roman Rite)

Bishop John Burke
(1959.06.04 – 1964.05.12)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Joseph, Shimla, Himāchal Pradesh
Co-Cathedral: Christ the King Cathedral, Chandigarh, Chandīgarh

Jalandhar (←), Jammu–Srinagar (↖), Kangding 康定 (→), Bijnor (↘), Delhi (↓), Jaipur (↓), Meerut (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 83,560 km²

Population: 22,814 Catholics (0.1% of 22,184,650 total)

Pastoral Centres: 62 parishes

Personnel: 148 priests (60 diocesan, 88 religious), 507 religious (98 brothers, 409 sisters), 14 seminarians