Diocese of

Varanasi

India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Varanasi / Varanasien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Agra

Neighbouring Dioceses: Allahabad (←), Gorakhpur (↑), Bettiah (↗), Buxar (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint John the Baptist, Saint Fidelis von Sigmaringen

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1946.07.11: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Gorakhpur / de Gorakhpur (Latin) (from Diocese of Allahabad and became suffragan of Agra)
1947.07.09: Lost territory to Diocese of Allahabad
1958.09.17: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Benares-Gorakhpur / de Benares-Gorakhpur (Latin)
1970.06.05: Promoted as Diocese of Banaras / Banaren(sis) (Latin)
1971.05.14: Renamed as Diocese of Varanasi / Varanasien(sis) (Latin)
1984.06.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Gorakhpur

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.05.30 – ...):

Bishop Eugene Joseph (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Varanasi (Roman Rite)

Bishop Eugene Joseph (67)
(2015.05.30 – ...)

Bishop of Varanasi (India)

Evangelization through diversity

Born:	1958.10.08 (Madurai, India)
Ordained Priest:	1985.04.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.08.24

Priest of Varanasi (India) (1985.04.10 – 2015.05.30)

Bishop of Varanasi (India) (2015.05.30 – ...)

Bishop Raphy Manjaly (68) (later Archbishop)
(2007.02.24 – 2013.10.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Agra (India)

To bring together people of God

Born:	1958.02.07 (Vendere, India)
Ordained Priest:	1983.05.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.04.30

Priest of Trichur of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1983.05.11 – 1984)

Priest of Agra (India) (1984 – 2007.02.24)

Bishop of Varanasi (India) (2007.02.24 – 2013.10.17)

Bishop of Allahabad (India) (2013.10.17 – 2020.11.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Agra (India) (2020.11.12 – ...)

Bishop Patrick Paul D’Souza
(1971.05.14 – 2007.02.24)

To grow in the unity of Holy Spirit

Born:	1928.04.28 (Bendur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1953.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.08.08
Died:	2014.10.16 († 86)

Bishop of Banaras (India) (1970.06.05 – 1971.05.14)

Bishop of Varanasi (India) (1971.05.14 – 2007.02.24)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1996 – 1998)

Bishops of Banaras (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Paul D’Souza
(1970.06.05 – 1971.05.14)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Benares-Gorakhpur (Roman Rite)

Fr. Joseph Emil Malenfant, O.F.M. Cap.
(1958.09.17 – 1970)

Ut vitam habeant

Born:	1908.08.28 (Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1934.02.04
Died:	1970 († 62)

Prefect Apostolic of Gorakhpur (India) (1947.06.06 – 1958.09.17)

Prefect Apostolic of Benares-Gorakhpur (India) (1958.09.17 – 1970)

Prefects Apostolic of Gorakhpur (Roman Rite)

Fr. Joseph Emil Malenfant, O.F.M. Cap.
(1947.06.06 – 1958.09.17)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Allahabad (←), Gorakhpur (↑), Bettiah (↗), Buxar (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 25,173 km²

Population: 21,748 Catholics (0.1% of 25,635,755 total)

Pastoral Centres: 47 parishes, 29 missions

Personnel: 158 priests (99 diocesan, 59 religious), 536 religious (75 brothers, 461 sisters), 15 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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