Diocese of Vilkaviškis, Lithuania

Continent: East Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Vilkaviškis / Vilkavisken(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kaunas

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1926.04.04: Established as Diocese of Vilkaviškis / Vilkavisken(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Łomża, from the suppressed Diocese of Žemaitija and became suffragan of Kaunas)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2002.01.05 – ...):

Bishop Rimantas Norvila (67)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Lithuania

Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community

Ordinaries

Bishops of Vilkaviškis (Roman Rite)

Bishop Rimantas Norvila (67)
(2002.01.05 – ...)

Bishop of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania)
Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Lithuania
Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community

Sperantes sumus in Deum vivum

Born:	1957.12.02 (Baptai, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1991.02.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.06.29

Priest of Kaunas (Lithuania) (1991.02.24 – 1997.05.28)

Titular Bishop of Castro (1997.05.28 – 2002.01.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kaunas (Lithuania) (1997.05.28 – 2002.01.05)

Bishop of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) (2002.01.05 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Lithuania (2011.10.26 – 2014.10.28)

Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (2016.03.04 – 2018.03.08)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Lithuania (2019.03.08 – ...)

Vice-President of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (2023.03.22 – ...)

Bishop Juozas Žemaitis, M.I.C.
(1991.12.24 – 2002.01.05)

Born:	1926.08.30 (Griškabudis, Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1949.09.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.03.18
Died:	2021.10.05 (Marijampole, Lithuania † 95)

Titular Bishop of Tabaicara (1989.03.10 – 1991.12.24)

Apostolic Administrator of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) (1989.03.10 – 1991.12.24)

Bishop of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) (1991.12.24 – 2002.01.05)

Bishop Juozas Žemaitis, M.I.C.
(Apostolic Administrator 1989.03.10 – 1991.12.24)

Bishop Juozas Preikšas
(Apostolic Administrator 1988.04.27 – 1989.03.10)

Archbishop Liudas Povilonis, M.I.C.
(Apostolic Administrator 1979.05.28 – 1988.04.27)

Bishop Juozas Matulaitis-Labukas
(Apostolic Administrator 1965 – 1979.05.28)

Bishop Vincenzo Padolskis
(Apostolic Administrator 1950 – 1952)

Bishop Antanas Karosas (Antoni Karaś)
(1926.04.05 – 1947.07.07)

Born:	1856.02.27 (Lithuania)
Ordained Priest:	1883.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1907.06.16
Died:	1947.07.07 († 91)

Titular Bishop of Dorylæum (1906.11.08 – 1910.04.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Žytomyr (Ukraine) (1906.11.08 – 1910.04.07)

Bishop of Augustów (Poland) (1910.04.07 – 1925.10.28)

Bishop of Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) (1926.04.05 – 1947.07.07)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Vincenzo Padolskis (1948 – 1950)
Coadjutor Bishop: Archbishop Mecislovas Reinys (1926.04.05 – 1940.07.18)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Vladas Michelevičius (1986.11.13 – 1989.03.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Juozas Preikšas (1984.10.31 – 1991.12.24)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Romualdas Krikšciunas (1969.11.07 – 1973.07.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Vincenzo Padolskis (1944.07 – 1948)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Vincenzo Padolskis (1940.07.18 – 1944.07)
Coadjutor Apostolic Administrator: Bishop Liudas Povilonis, M.I.C. (later Archbishop) (1973.07.07 – 1979.05.28)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Švč. M. Marijos Apsilankymo katedra, Vilkaviškis, Marijampolė
Minor Basilica: Šv. arkangelo Mykolo mažoji bazilika, Marijampolė, Marijampolė
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (105)

Ełk (↙), Mother of God at Moscow (←), Kaunas (↗), Kaišiadorys (→), Vilnius (↘), Grodno (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 6,280 km²

Population: 273,213 Catholics (91.5% of 298,562 total)

Pastoral Centres: 105 parishes

Personnel: 101 priests (98 diocesan, 3 religious), 4 deacons, 53 religious (4 brothers, 49 sisters), 1 seminarian