The diocese of Hải Phòng (Latin: Dioecesis Haiphongensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in northern Vietnam. The bishop is Vincent Nguyên Văn Ban, since 2022.
The creation of the diocese in its present form was declared 24 November 1960. The earliest forms of Roman Catholic institutions appeared in that territory since 1655, with French and Spanish missionaries until the middle of the 20th century.[1]
The diocese covers an area of 10,000 km2, and is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Hanoi.
By 2004, the diocese of Hai Phòng had about 113,092 believers (2.4% of the population), 29 priests and 62 parishes.[2]
Queen of the Rosary Cathedral in Hai Phong has been assigned as the Cathedral of the diocese.[3]
Many migrant workers from other regions of Vietnam, who work in that busy port city, attend masses in Hai Phong.[1]
In 2008, the Bishop of Hai Phong Diocese Joseph Vu Van Thien took part in World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia, where he presented a speech at the Homily at the Opening Mass for Vietnamese Youth.[4]
Ordinaries
Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Tonking (1678-1924)
| Vicar apostolic | Period in office | Status | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop François Deydier, M.E.P. | November 25, 1678 – July 1, 1693 | Died in office | [5] |
| 2 | Bishop Raimondo Lezzoli, O.P. | October 20, 1696 – January 18, 1706 | ||
| 3 | Bishop Juan de Santa Cruz, O.P. | April 3, 1716 – August 14, 1721 | ||
| 4 | Bishop Tommaso Sextri, O.P. | August 14, 1721 – August 8, 1737 | ||
| 5 | Bishop Hilario di Jesu Costa, O.A.D. | August 8, 1737 – March 11, 1757 | ||
| 6 | Bishop Santiago Hernández, O.P. | August 13, 1757 – February 06, 1777 | ||
| 7 | Bishop Manuel Obellar, O.P. | January 29, 1778 – September 07, 1789 | ||
| 8 | Bishop Feliciano Alonso, O.P. | October 1, 1790 – February 2, 1799 | ||
| 9 | Bishop Ignacio Clemente Delgado Cebrián, O.P. | February 2, 1799 – July 12, 1838 | Died in office, martyred. | |
| 10 | Bishop Jerónimo Hermosilla Aransáez, O.P. | August 2, 1839 – November 1, 1861 | ||
| 11 | Bishop Hilarión Alcáraz, O.P. | November 1, 1861 – 1868 | Resigned | |
| 12 | Bishop Antonio Colomer, O.P. | February 11, 1870 – June 1, 1883 | Transferred to Northern Tonkin | |
| 13 | Bishop José Terrés, O.P. | May 29, 1883 – April 2, 1906 | Died in office | |
| 14 | Bishop Nicasio Arellano, O.P. | April 11, 1906 – April 14, 1919 | Resigned | |
| 15 | Bishop Francisco Ruiz de Azúa Ortiz de Zárate, O.P. | April 14, 1919 – December 03, 1924 | Remained as Vicar apostolic of Hai Phòng. | |
Vicar apostolic of Hai Phòng (1924-1960)
| Vicar apostolic | Period in office | Status | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Bishop Francisco Ruiz de Azúa Ortiz de Zárate, O.P. | December 3, 1924 – May 22, 1929 | Died in office | [5] | |
| 16 | Bishop Alejandro García Fontcuberta, O.P. | May 31, 1930 – February 14, 1933 | |||
| 17 | Bishop Francisco Gómez de Santiago, O.P. | February 18, 1933 – 1952 | |||
| 18 | Bishop Joseph Trương Cao Ðại | January 8, 1953 – 1960 | Resigned | ||
| – | Bishop Joseph-Marie-Pierre Khuất Văn Tạo | May 07, 1955 – November 24, 1960 | Apostolic Administrator | ||
Bishop of Hai Phòng (1960-present)
| Bishop | Coat of arms | Period in office | Status | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Joseph-Marie-Pierre Khuất Văn Tạo | November 24, 1960 – August 19, 1977 | Died in Office | [5] | ||
| 2 | Bishop Joseph Marie Nguyễn Tùng Cương | January 10, 1979 – February 10, 1999 | ||||
| 3 | Bishop Joseph Vũ Văn Thiên | November 26, 2002 – November 17, 2018 | Transferred to Hanoi | |||
| – | Archbishop Joseph Vũ Văn Thiên | November 17, 2018 – March 19, 2022 | Apostolic Administrator | |||
| 4 | Bishop Vincent Nguyễn Văn Bản | March 19, 2022–present | Current bishop | |||
| Period in office | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Tommaso Sextri, O.P. | March 18, 1716 – August 14, 1721 | [5] |
| 2 | Bishop Hilario di Jesu Costa, O.A.D. | October 3, 1735 – April 8, 1737 | |
| 3 | Bishop Ignacio Clemente Delgado Cebrián, O.P. | February 11, 1794 – February 2, 1799 | |
| 4 | Bishop Domingo Henares de Zafra Cubero, O.P. | September 9, 1800 – June 25, 1838 | |
| 5 | Bishop Romualdo Jimeno Ballesteros, O.P. | August 2, 1839 – June 20, 1845 | |
| 6 | Bishop Hilarión Alcáraz, O.P. | September 5, 1848 – November 1, 1861 | |
| 7 | Bishop Gaspar Fernández, O.P. | March 27, 1863 – July 19, 1868 | |
| 8 | Bishop José Terrés, O.P. | February 6, 1875 – May 29, 1883 | |
| 9 | Bishop Francisco Ruiz de Azúa Ortiz de Zárate, O.P. | June 19, 1917 – April 14, 1919 |
| Period in office | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| – | Bishop-elect Francisco Gomez de Santiago, O.P. | November 28, 1932 – February 18, 1933 | [5] |
References
- 1.[1.2]Asia News Article on Hai Phong, November 2007
- 2.Catholic Hierarchy Directory
- 3.GCatholic.org
- 4.The Homily at the Opening Mass for Vietnmese Youth - World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia, by Bishop Joseph Vu Van Thien, Bishop of Hai Phong Diocese, VietCatholic Site, July 2008
- 5.[5.2][5.3][5.4][5.5]"Diocese of Hai Phòng ordinaries". gcatholic.