Metropolitan Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Visakhapatnam / Vishakhapatnam / Vizag / Visakhapatnamen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Eluru, Guntur, Nellore, Srikakulam, Vijayawada

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Anne

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1845.03.16: Established as Apostolic Pro-Vicariate of Vizagapatam / Vizagapatamen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Madras and Apostolic Vicariate of Pondicherry)
1850.04.03: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Vizagapatam / Vizagapatamen(sis) (Latin)
1886.09.01: Promoted as Diocese of Vizagapatam / Vizagapatamen(sis) (Latin)
1887.06.07: Became suffragan of Madras
1887.07.11: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Nagpur
1895: Lost territory to Diocese of Nagpur
1928.07.18: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Cuttack
1950.10.21: Renamed as Diocese of Visakhapatnam / Vishakhapatnam / Vizag / Visakhapatnamen(sis) (Latin)
1953.09.19: Became suffragan of Hyderabad
1957.06.20: Lost territory to Diocese of Cuttack
1966.06.16: Lost territory to Diocese of Cuttack and Apostolic Prefecture of Raipur
1974.01.24: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Berhampur
1993.07.01: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Srikakulam
2001.10.16: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam / Vishakhapatnam / Vizag / Visakhapatnamen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Eluru, Guntur, Nellore, Srikakulam and Vijayawada)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2025.02.08 – ...):

Archbishop Udumala Bala Showreddy (70)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Visakhapatnam (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Udumala Bala Showreddy (70)
(2025.02.08 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Visakhapatnam (India)

Yours truly our Lord

Born:	1954.06.18 (Ghanpur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1979.02.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.05.23

Priest of Warangal (India) (1979.02.20 – 2013.04.13)

Bishop of Warangal (India) (2013.04.13 – 2025.02.08)

Apostolic Administrator of Khammam (India) (2022.08.27 – 2024.02.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (2025.02.08 – ...)

Bishop Jaya Rao Polimera (59)
(Apostolic Administrator 2024.02.17 – 2025.02.08)

Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu (76)
(2012.07.03 – 2024.02.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Visakhapatnam (India)

Good news for all

Born:	1949.01.29 (Jadi-Jamalpur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1979.10.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.07.22

Priest of Hyderabad (India) (1979.10.11 – 1998.05.22)

Bishop of Cuddapah (India) (1998.05.22 – 2002.07.26)

Bishop of Vijayawada (India) (2002.07.26 – 2012.07.03)

General Secretary of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (2005 – 2011)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Nellore (India) (2005.10.22 – 2006.12.07)

Apostolic Administrator of Eluru (India) (2009.08.25 – 2013.06.13)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (2012.07.03 – 2024.02.17)

Archbishop Mariadas Kagithapu, M.S.F.S.
(2001.10.16 – 2012.07.03)

To Christ for the world

Born:	1936.09.07 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1961.06.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.05.05
Died:	2018.02.26 († 81)

Bishop of Guntur (India) (1974.12.19 – 1982.09.10)

Bishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (1982.09.10 – 2001.10.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (2001.10.16 – 2012.07.03)

Bishops of Visakhapatnam (Roman Rite)

Bishop Mariadas Kagithapu, M.S.F.S. (later Archbishop)
(1982.09.10 – 2001.10.16)

(see above)

Bishop Ignatius Gopu, M.S.F.S.
(1966.10.04 – 1981.08.02)

Born:	1912.07.01 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1945.09.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.04.07
Died:	1981.08.02 († 69)

Titular Bishop of Feradi maius (1963.12.10 – 1966.10.04)

Coadjutor Bishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (1963.12.10 – 1966.10.04)

Bishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (1966.10.04 – 1981.08.02)

Bishop Joseph-Alphonse Baud, M.S.F.S.
(1950.10.21 – 1966.10.04)

Born:	1890.07.23 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1914.08.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1942.03.17
Died:	1980.03.13 († 89)

Titular Bishop of Rhodopolis (1941.12.23 – 1947.03.23)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vizagapatam (India) (1941.12.23 – 1947.03.23)

Bishop of Vizagapatam (India) (1947.03.23 – 1950.10.21)

Bishop of Visakhapatnam (India) (1950.10.21 – 1966.10.04)

Titular Bishop of Troas (1966.10.04 – 1971.01.23)

Bishops of Vizagapatam (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph-Alphonse Baud, M.S.F.S.
(1947.03.23 – 1950.10.21)

(see above)

Bishop Pierre Rossillon, M.S.F.S.
(1926.06.18 – 1947.03.22)

Born:	1874.09.22 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1898.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1919.05.07
Died:	1947.03.22 († 72)

Titular Bishop of Epiphania (1918.08.22 – 1926.06.18)

Coadjutor Bishop of Vizagapatam (India) (1918.08.22 – 1926.06.18)

Bishop of Vizagapatam (India) (1926.06.18 – 1947.03.22)

Bishop Jean-Marie Clerc, M.S.F.S.
(1891.02.19 – 1926.06.18)

Born:	1847.03.21 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1872.05.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1891.07.26
Died:	1926.06.18 († 79)

Bishop of Vizagapatam (India) (1891.02.19 – 1926.06.18)

Bishop Jean-Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S.
(1886.09.01 – 1890.06.18)

Born:	1810.09.28 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1836.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1864.04.03
Died:	1890.06.18 († 79)

Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Vizagapatam (India) (1852 – 1863.08.11)

Titular Bishop of Milevum (1863.08.11 – 1886.09.01)

Vicar Apostolic of Vizagapatam (India) (1863.08.11 – 1886.09.01)

Bishop of Vizagapatam (India) (1886.09.01 – 1890.06.18)

Vicars Apostolic of Vizagapatam (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S.
(1863.08.11 – 1886.09.01)

(see above)

Fr. Jean-Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S. (later Bishop)
(1852 – 1863.08.11)

(see above)

Bishop Sébastin-Théophille Neyret, M.S.F.S.
(1850.04.03 – 1862.11.05)

Born:	1802.09.11 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1826.03.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1849.02.24
Died:	1862.11.05 († 60)

Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Vizagapatam (India) (1848.03.31 – 1850.04.03)

Titular Bishop of Olena (1848.03.31 – 1862.11.05)

Vicar Apostolic of Vizagapatam (India) (1850.04.03 – 1862.11.05)

Pro-Vicars Apostolic of Vizagapatam (Roman Rite)

Bishop Sébastin-Théophille Neyret, M.S.F.S.
(1848.03.31 – 1850.04.03)

(see above)

Fr. Jacques-Henri Gailhot
(1845.03.16 – 1847)

Born:

(France)

Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Vizagapatam (India) (1845.03.16 – 1847)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Ignatius Gopu, M.S.F.S. (1963.12.10 – 1966.10.04)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joseph-Alphonse Baud, M.S.F.S. (1941.12.23 – 1947.03.23)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Pierre Rossillon, M.S.F.S. (1918.08.22 – 1926.06.18)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Jules-François Philippe, M.S.F.S. (1886.08.24 – 1888.07.22)