Diocese of Surat Thani

Diœcesis Suratthanensis

สังฆมณฑลสุราษฎร์ธานี
Location
Country Thailand
Ecclesiastical provinceBangkok
MetropolitanBangkok
Statistics
Area76,562 km2 (29,561 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2004)
9,015,380
6,682 (0.1%)
Information
DenominationCatholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established26 June 1969
CathedralSt.Raphael Cathedral, Surat Thani
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopJoseph Prathan Sridarunsil
Metropolitan ArchbishopFrancis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit
Map
Website
Official website

The (Roman Catholic) Diocese of Surat Thani (Diœcesis Suratthanensis, Thai: สังฆมณฑลสุราษฎร์ธานี) in southern Thailand was founded in 1969, when it was split off from the Diocese of Ratchaburi by the papal bull Qui Regno Christi. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Bangkok. The area of Surat Thani was evangelized by the Salesians of Don Bosco in the 1930s.

The diocese covers an area of 76,562 km², covering all of the southern provinces of Thailand, including Prachuap Khiri Khan as its northernmost province. As of 2001, of its nine million citizens, 6,682 or 0.1% are members of the Catholic Church. The diocese is divided into 39 parishes, which are grouped by four regions.

Bishops

  • Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil, S.D.B.: appointed October 9, 2004[1][2]
  • Michael Praphon Chaicharoen, S.D.B.: June 21, 1988 - May 20, 2003 (died)
  • Pietro Luigi Carretto, S.D.B.: June 26, 1969 - June 21, 1988 (retired)

Cathedral

The St.Raphael Cathedral (Thai: อาสนวิหารอัครเทวดาราฟาเอล) is in the town of Surat Thani at 9°9′0″N 99°20′4″E / 9.15000°N 99.33444°E / 9.15000; 99.33444. The church was built in 1962, and became a cathedral when the diocese was established in 1969.

St.Raphael Cathedral, Surat Thani (current)
St.Raphael Cathedral, Surat Thani (old)

See also

References


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.