Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima

The Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima (Dioecesis Nakhonratchasimaensis, Thai: สังฆมณฑลนครราชสีมา) is a Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction located in the north-east of Thailand. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Thare and Nonseng.

Diocese of Nakhon Rathasima Dioecesis Nakhonratchasimaensis สังฆมณฑลนครราชสีมา
Location
Country	Thailand
Ecclesiastical province	Thare and Nonseng
Metropolitan	Thare and Nonseng
Statistics
Area	41,148 km2 (15,887 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2023) 5,200,000 5,721 (0.11%)
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral in Nakhon Ratchasima
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Joseph Chusak Sirisut
Metropolitan Archbishop	Anthony Weradet Chaiseri
Map

The diocese covers an area of 41,148 km², covering 3 provinces of Thailand - Buriram, Chaiyaphum and Nakhon Ratchasima; as of 2023, of the 5.2 million citizens of the three provinces, 5,721 were members of the Catholic Church.^[1] It is divided into 28 parishes, having 27 priests altogether.

History

The diocese was created on March 22, 1965, when the Vicariate Apostolic of Ubon was split. December 18, 1965 the Vicariate Apostolic of Nakhorn-Rajasima was elevated to a diocese.

Cathedral

The cathedral of the diocese is the Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral (อาสนวิหารแม่พระประจักษ์ที่เมืองลูร์ด), located in the town Nakhon Ratchasima.14°58′24″N 102°4′42″E

The cathedral can hold over 3,000 people.^[2]

Bishops

• Joseph Chusak Sirisut: appointed November 30, 2006^[3]
• Joachim Phayao Manisap: May 30, 1977 - November 30, 2006 (resigned)^[3]
• Alain Sauveur Ferdinand van Gaver, M.E.P: March 22, 1965 - May 30, 1977 (resigned)^[3]