Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangkok explained

Jurisdiction:Archdiocese
Bangkok
Latin:Archidiœcesis Bangkokensis
Local:อัครสังฆมณฑลกรุงเทพฯ
Country: Thailand
Territory:Bangkok
Area Km2:18,831
Population:13,226,721
Population As Of:2012
Catholics:115,945
Catholics Percent:0.9
Parishes:54
Denomination:Catholic
Sui Iuris Church:Latin Church
Rite:Roman Rite
Established:December 18, 1965
Cathedral:Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok
Bishop:Sede vacante
Bishop Title:Archbishop
Apostolic Admin:Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana
Emeritus Bishops:Michael Michai Kitbunchu
Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij
Map:Thailand Diocese Bangkok.png

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangkok (Latin: Archidiœcesis Bangkokensis, Thai: อัครสังฆมณฑลกรุงเทพฯ) is a Latin archdiocese in Thailand. The bishop's seat is the Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok.

History

In 1662, the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam was created [1] [2] on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Cochinchina, based in Vietnam. It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Siam[2] on 10 September 1841, having lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Siam. On 5 May 1899 it lost more territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Laos.

It was renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Bangkok[2] on 3 December 1924.

It lost more territories: on 30 June 1930 to establish the Mission sui juris of Rajaburi, on 11 May 1944 to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Chantaburi and on 17 November 1959 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Chieng-Mai. All three of these have become its suffragans. On 18 December 1965, it was elevated to the rank of a Metropolitan archdiocese.

On 9 February 1967 it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Nakhon Sawan as its suffragan.

It was visited by Pope John Paul II in May 1984 and Pope Francis in November 2019.

Extent

The archdiocese covers an area of 18,831 km2, and as of 2002 it is responsible for 81,646 Catholic Christians, 0.7% of the about 12 million living in the area. It covers the administrative provinces Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Suphanburi; also the parts west of the Bang Pa Kong River of Chachoengsao and Ban Na of Nakhon Nayok belong to the diocese.

Ordinaries

Apostolic Vicars of Siam

Apostolic Vicars of Eastern Siam

Apostolic Vicars of Bangkok

Archbishops of Bangkok

Coadjutor Bishops

Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own archdiocese and these five suffragan bishoprics :

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbank.html Catholic Hierarchy: "Archdiocese of Bangkok"
  2. Web site: Vicariate Apostolic of Siam Original Catholic Encyclopedia . 2011-09-01 . 2012-03-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120330161701/http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Vicariate_Apostolic_of_Siam . dead .