Diocese of Chanthaburi

Diocese of Chanthaburi Dioecesis Chanthaburiensis สังฆมณฑลจันทบุรี
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Location
Country	Thailand
Metropolitan	Bangkok
Statistics
Area	34,000 km2 (13,000 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2006) 4,445,881 37,149 (0.8%)
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Chanthaburi
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Philip Adisak Phorn-ngam
Metropolitan Archbishop	Kriengsak Kovitvanit
Bishops emeritus	Lawrence Thienchai Samanchit Bishop Emeritus (since 2009)
Map
File:Thailand Diocese Chanthaburi.png

The Diocese of Chanthaburi (Dioecesis Chanthaburiensis, Thai: สังฆมณฑลจันทบุรี) is a Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction located in eastern central Thailand. It is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Bangkok.

The diocese covers an area of 34,000 km², covering the provinces - Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachinburi, Rayong, Sa Kaeo and Trat, as well as the parts east of the Bang Pa Kong River in Chachoengsao, and Nakhon Nayok except the district Ban Na.

As of 2009, of the 4.4 million citizens 38,918 are Catholics. It is divided into 42 parishes, having 112 priests altogether.

History

On May 11, 1944, the Vicariate Apostolic of Chantaburi was split off from the Vicariate Apostolic of Bangkok. On December 18, 1965, it was elevated to a diocese.

Cathedral

Main article: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Chanthaburi

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Thai: อาสนวิหารพระนางมารีอาปฏิสนธินิรมล) is the largest church of Thailand. A first missionary chapel was built at the site in 1711. After being enlarged and rebuilt four times during the nineteenth century, especially due to the immigration of Vietnamese Christians fleeing religious persecution in the home country. In 1909 it was rebuilt in its current Gothic style. It is located at the Chanthanimit Road on the left bank of the Chanthaburi River. During World War II the spires were taken down to make the church a less obvious navigational aid to allied bombers; they have since been replaced.

Bishops

• Giacomo Luigi Cheng: May 11, 1944 – April 14, 1952
• Francis Xavier Sanguon Souvannasri: January 8, 1953 – April 3, 1970 (Resigned)
• Lawrence Thienchai Samanchit: July 3, 1971 – April 4, 2009
• Silvio Siripong Charatsri: April 4, 2009 – June 13, 2023, appointed Bishop of Ratchaburi
• Philip Adisak Phorn-ngam: appointed November 11, 2024

Before the vicariate apostolic was elevated to a diocese, the bishops were assigned a titular see.

See also

• Catholic Church in Thailand

External links

• Website of the diocese
• catholic-hierarchy.org ^{[self-published]}