Roman Catholic Diocese of Vijayawada

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vijayawada (Viiayavadan(us)) is a diocese located in the city of Vijayawada in the ecclesiastical province of Visakhapatnam in India. Administratively, the diocese encompasses the geographical Krishna district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The Diocese of Vijayawada has the largest catholic population(.35 million) among all the Suffragan dioceses of the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam.

History

 * 10 January 1933: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Bezwada from the Diocese of Hyderabad
 * 13 April 1937: Promoted as Diocese of Bezwada
 * 21 October 1950: Renamed as Diocese of Vijayawada

Diocesan demographics
As of 2017 the Catholic population of the diocese was 3,50,000. These Catholics were served by 189 diocesan priests and 32 priests of religious orders in 98 parishes. Also laboring in the diocese were 37 religious brothers, and 795 nuns

Leadership

 * Bishop Thelagathoti J. Raja Rao, S.M.M. (2 February 2016 – Present)
 * Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu (26 July 2002 – 3 July 2012); named Metropolitan Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
 * Bishop Marampudi Joji (Later Archbishop) (8 November 1996 – 29 January 2000)
 * Bishop Joseph S. Thumma (23 January 1971 – 8 November 1996)
 * Bishop Ambrose De Battista, P.I.M.E. (13 December 1951 – 23 January 1971)

Shrines

 * Gunadala Matha Shrine
 * Br Joseph Thamby Shrine Avutapally
 * Lourdu Matha Shrine, Vennanapudi

Seminaries

 * St. Ambrose Minor Seminary, Nuzivid (1957)
 * Angel Minor Seminary, Nuzivid
 * St.Paul's Regional Seminary(1984)
 * St.Joseph's Major Seminary, Chinavutapalli (2000)

Education
As of 2019, the diocese has 27 Elementary schools, 9 Upper primary Schools, 50 High Schools, 3 Higher Secondary Schools, 10 Colleges, 2 Nursing training Institutes, 10 Non-Formal training centers, 16 Parish Elementary Schools departing education from pre-kindergarten through Post Graduation.

Catholic Institutions of Repute :


 * Andhra Loyola college
 * Maris Stella College
 * NSM Public School,
 * Nirmala High School
 * VSt.Johns, Gannavaram
 * Atkinsons High
 * St.Mary's English Medium School, Kankipadu

Media & Publications

 * RADIO MARIA, Vijayawada.
 * DIVYAVANI TV Zonal Productions, Vijayawada.
 * IN VINCULO CHRISTI (Published since 1957)

Saints and causes for canonisation

 * Servant of God Joseph Thamby, OFS