Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore (Latin: Balasoren(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Balasore in the ecclesiastical province of Cuttack–Bhubaneswar in India.

Diocese of Balasore Dioecesis Balasorensis
Location
Country	India
Ecclesiastical province	Cuttack–Bhubaneswar
Metropolitan	Cuttack–Bhubaneswar
Statistics
Area	25,118 km2 (9,698 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2012) 8,974,200 23,643 (0.3%)
Parishes	39
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	Christ the King Cathedral, Balasore
Patron saint	Christ the King
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Varghese Thottamkara
Metropolitan Archbishop	John Barwa
Bishops emeritus	Thomas Thiruthalil Bishop Emeritus (1989-2013)
Map
Website
Website of the Diocese

On Monday, 9 December 2013, Pope Francis accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore, presented by Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, CM, in accordance with Canon 401.1 of the Latin Rite 1983 Code of Canon Law. Pope Francis appointed as Bishop-elect of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balasore, the Reverend Father Simon Kaipuram, C.M., who until then had been serving as dean and professor of Aquinas College of Gopalpur, India, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Berhampur (based in Berhampur, India).^{[citation needed]}

History

• 8 June 1968: Established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Balasore from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta^{[citation needed]}
• 18 December 1989: Promoted as Diocese of Balasore^{[citation needed]}

Leadership

• Bishops of Balasore (Latin Rite)
  • Bishop Simon Kaipuram, C.M. (9 December 2013 – 22 April 2019)
  • Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, C.M. (18 December 1989 – 9 December 2013)
  • Father Jacob Vadakevetil, C.M. (Apostolic Administrator, 14 June 1968 – 1989)