Ecclesiastical Details

Archdiocese of Raipur
Heirarchy of the Diocese
Rite:
Latin
Population:
22,055,579
 
Status:
Archdiocese
Catholics:
32987
 
Founded:
16-Jan-64
Diocesan Priests:
91
  Total area:
37299 Sq. km
Religious Priests:
62
 
Province:
Raipur
Religious Sisters:
381
 
Region:
Chhattisgarh
Seminarians:
  Patron:
Mary Queen of Apostles
  Languages: Hindi Chattisgrarhi Oriya Oraon Telugu Tamil Malayalam English
  Civil States: Chhattisgarh: Raipur Bilaspur Mahasamund Durg Dhamtari Korba Janjgir Kawardha Bemetara Balod Baloda Bazar Gariyaband Mungeli and Rajnandgaon
Contact Archdiocese Office :
Archbishop's HouseKhristbandhu Niwas Byron BazarRaipur 492 001. CHATTISGARH.
Telephone 1:
0771-24 23 995 / 0771-40 52 429
Fax:
40 52 429
 
E-Mail Office:
achbp_rpr@rediffmail.com
Website:
 
Most Rev. Victor Henry Thakur, Archbishop of Raipur
Name:
Most Rev. Victor Henry Thakur
Designation:
Archbishop   Canonical Possession: 2013-
Telephone (P):
E-mail (P):
 
Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Raipur
 
Bishops NameDesignationPeriod
Retired 1992-2013
Pilgrim Centres in theArchdiocese of Raipur
 
Ecclesiastical Institutions
 
Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres
Educational Institutions
Parishes:
65
 
Hospitals:
7
   
Degree Colleges:
2
Major Seminaries:
 
Orphanages:
1
   
Technical Training Centres:
6
Minor Seminaries:
 
Special Schools:
1
   
High Schools:
7
Monastries:
 
Crèches:
   
Lower Primary Schools:
21
Convents:
 
Counselling Centres:
   
Presses & Media Centres:
Formation Houses:
9
 
Social Centres:
2
   
Professional Colleges:
Retreat Centres:
3
 
Dispensaries / Clinics:
36
   
Parallel Colleges:
 
Physically Challenged:
   
Higher Secondary :
31
       
Boarding Houses:
   
Upper Primary Schools:
7
       
HIV / AIDS Centres:
   
Nurseries/Pre-Primary :
3
       
De-addiction Centres:
6
       
          Aged & Destitute: 4        
     
       
History of the Archdiocese of Raipur
 

Raipur was established as a Prefecture by the Papal Bull "Religio Vera Christique Salus" of Pope Paul VI on January 16 1964 with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Nagpur comprising the Districts of Raipur Bilaspur and Durg all in Madhya Pradesh. It was entrusted to the Southern German Province of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines) which sent the first group of their priests in 1951.


On July 28 1964 the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith placed the Prefecture as suffragan to the Archdiocese of Bhopal. The same Congregation by its decree of June 16 1966 detached the District of Bastar (M.P) from the Diocese of Vishakapatnam (A.P) and attached it to the Prefecture with effect from August 15 1966. On March 23 1972 Bastar District was separated from Raipur Prefecture and established as an Exarchate (later Diocese of Jagdalpur) entrusted to the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate.


Raipur was erected into a diocese on July 5 1973 and Msgr John Weidner sac was nominated Apostolic Administrator on February 8 1974. Since 1975 the diocese comprises the Districts of Raipur Bilaspur Durg and Rajnandgaon.

 
Prelates of the Archdiocese of Raipur
Bishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriodBishops NamePrelate's StatusPeriod
Bishop 1985-1991 1974-1983
1964-1974