Roman Catholic Diocese of Basse-Terre explained

Jurisdiction:Diocese
Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre
Latin:Dioecesis Imae Telluris et Petrirostrensis
Local:Diocèse de Basse-Terre et Pointe-à-Pitre
Country: Guadeloupe, France

, France

, France

Metropolitan:Archdiocese of Fort-de-France
Province:Province of Fort-de-France
Coordinates:15.9959°N -61.7298°W
Area Km2:1,780
Population:467,000
Population As Of:2012
Catholics:390,000
Catholics Percent:83.5
Parishes:42
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Rite:Latin Rite
Established:27 September 1850 (years ago)
Metro Archbishop:David Macaire
Bishop Title:Bishop
Bishop:Philippe Guiougou
Emeritus Bishops:Jean-Yves Riocreux Bishop Emeritus (2012-2021)
Website:www.catholique-guadeloupe.info

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre (Latin: Dioecesis Imae Telluris et Petrirostrensis;), more simply known as the Diocese of Basse-Terre, is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese comprises the entirety of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe, one of the Leeward Lesser Antilles. It is also responsible for parishes in the small overseas departments of Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin. The diocese is a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Fort-de-France, and both are members of the Antilles Episcopal Conference.

Its cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe (the island's eponymous 'Mexican' patron saint), which has the status of a minor basilica, is hence known as the or the Basse-Terre Cathedral.

History

It was erected in 1850, as the Diocese of Guadeloupe and Basse-Terre, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Prefecture of Îles de la Terre Ferme (an Antillian missionary jurisdiction, which was promoted to diocese of Martinique and meanwhile became the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fort-de-France), its present Metropolitan.

The bishopric was renamed in 1951 to the present name, Diocese of Basse-Terre. Also on 19 July 1951, it was united with the thus suppressed diocese of Pointe-à-Pitre (on Grande Terre, which still has its former cathedral of St. Peter and Paul), so its incumbents' (rarely used) full title is bishop of Basse-Terre-Pointe-à-Pitre.

Bishops

All Latin (Roman Rite). Most bishops were secular; a few belonged to specified religious congregations.

Incumbent ordinaries

Bishops of Guadeloupe and Basse-Terre
Bishops of Basse-Terre(-Pointe-à-Pitre)

Coadjutor bishop

Auxiliary bishop

See also

Sources and external links