Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi (Varanasien[sis]) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Agra in northern India's vast state Uttar Pradesh. Its cathedral episcopal see is St. Mary's Cathedral in the city of Varanasi.

History

 * Established on 11 July 1946 as Apostolic Prefecture of Gorakhpur, on territory split off from the Diocese of Allahabad, exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See
 * 17 September 1958: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Benares-Gorakhpur
 * Promoted on 5 June 1970 as Diocese of Banaras (Benares), losing its exempt status by becoming a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agra
 * 14 May 1971: Renamed as Diocese of Varanasi (as the city had changed its name).

Ordinaries
(all Latin, Roman Rite)


 * Apostolic Prefects of Gorakhpur
 * Father Joseph Emil Malenfant, OFMCap (6 June 1947 – 17 September 1958 see below)
 * Apostolic Prefects of Benares-Gorakhpur
 * Joseph Emil Malenfant, OFMCap (see above 17 September 1958 – 1970)


 * Bishops of Banaras
 * Patrick Paul D'Souza (5 June 1970 – 14 May 1971 see below)
 * Bishops of Varanasi
 * Patrick Paul D'Souza (see above 14 May 1971 – 24 February 2007), Vice-President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1996 – 1998)
 * Raphy Manjaly (24 February 2007 – 2013.10.17), later Bishop of Allahabad (India, in the same province) (2013.10.17 – ...)
 * Eugene Joseph (2015.05.30 – ...)