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List of Catholic dioceses in Belgium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A diocese, also known as a bishopric, is an administrative unit under the supervision of a bishop, of which there are currently 8 in the Belgian Catholic Church. The 8 dioceses are divided into 1 ecclesiastical province and 7 suffragan dioceses, but also one military ordinariate,[1] which was created as military vicariate in 1957, and elevated to a military ordinariate in 1986.[2]

Roman Catholic dioceses in Belgium

Since December 1961, following the restructuring of the Catholic dioceses in Belgium, the Archdiocese of Mechelen was renamed the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. This newly created archdiocese is the primatial see of Belgium and the center of the ecclesiastical province governed by the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, which covers the whole of Belgium.[3]

There are also a few former Roman Catholic dioceses in Belgium, including the Dioceses of Eupen-Malmedy and Ypres, but also the ancient Diocese of Thérouanne. The latter was split between the Dioceses of Saint-Omer, Boulogne and Ypres after the Council of Trent's reform of sees.

In Belgium, most dioceses coincide with a province, but there are a few exceptions.

List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Belgium

Ecclesiastical Province of Mechelen-Brussels

More information Diocese, Coat of arms ...
Diocese Coat of arms Territory Cathedral[4] Bishop (consecration)[5] Founded
Antwerp
Province of Antwerp (except for 9 municipalities) Cathedral of Our Lady
(1559-1801; since 1961)[6]
Johan Bonny (2009)[7] 1961 (restored)[8]
Bruges Province of West Flanders St. Salvator's Cathedral
(since 1834)[9]
Lodewijk Aerts (2016) 1834 (restored)[10]
Hasselt Province of Limburg St. Quentin's Cathedral
(since 1967)[11]
Patrick Hoogmartens (2004) 1967[12]
Ghent
Province of East Flanders St. Bavo's Cathedral
(since 1559)[13]
vacant 1559[14]
Liège
Province of Liège St. Paul's Cathedral
(since 1794)[15]
Jean-Pierre Delville (2013)[16] 4th century (Civitas Tungrorum)[17]
Mechelen-Brussels
Mechelen, Brussels-Capital Region, Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant St. Rumbold (Mechelen) (Primatial cathedral)
St. Michael and Gudula (Brussels) (Co-cathedral)
Luc Terlinden (2023)[18] 1559
Namur Namur and Luxembourg St Aubin's Cathedral Fabien Lejeusne, AA (2025) 1559
Tournai Hainaut Cathedral of Our Lady Frédéric Rossignol, C.S.Sp. (2025) 1146
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Exempt (directly subject to the Holy See)

More information Diocese, Flag ...
Diocese Flag Jurisdiction Seat Ordinary Founded
Military Ordinariate Members of Belgian Armed Forces and their families Church of St. James on Coudenberg vested in the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels 1957
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