Roman Catholic Diocese of Chanthaburi

The Diocese of Chanthaburi (Latin: Dioecesis Chanthaburiensis, Thai: สังฆมณฑล จันทบุรี ) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Thailand.

The diocese covers an area of 34,000 km ², of which the provinces of Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachinburi, Rayong, Sa Kaeo and Trat and the part east of Maenam Bang Pakong ( Bang Pakong River ) the province of Chachoengsao and most of the province of Nakhon Nayok. As of 2001, Catholics of the 4.1 million population of 31 384. The diocese is divided into 41 municipalities and has a total of 88 priests. The diocese is the Archdiocese of Bangkok, is a suffragan.

History

The diocese goes back to the Apostolic Vicariate of Chanthaburi, which was cleaved from the Vicariate Apostolic of Bangkok on May 11, 1944. On 18 December 1965, was raised to the bishopric.

Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception ( Thai: อาสน วิหาร พระนาง มา รี อา ปฏิสนธิ นิรมล ) in Chanthaburi is the largest church in Thailand. A first mission chapel was built there in 1711. In the following years it was extended four times, especially because of the growing number of Vietnamese Catholics in the city, who had fled here because of religious persecution. In 1909, the present Gothic church on the left bank of the Chanthaburi River was completed. During the Second World War, the roof of the church was removed to make the building appear less suspicious and thus protecting them from Allied air attacks.

Bishops

Prior to the survey to the diocese were the Vicars Apostolic titular bishops.

• Giacomo Luigi Cheng, May 11, 1944-14. April 1952
• Francis Xavier Sanguon Souvannasri, 8 January 1953-3. April 1970
• Lawrence Thienchai Samanchit July 3, 1971-4. April 2009
• Silvio Siripong Charatsri, since April 4, 2009