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Diocese of Chur

Diocese of Chur
Dioecesis Curiensis
Bistum Chur
Chur Kathedrale 1.jpg
Location
Country Switzerland
Territory Graubünden, Schwyz, Uri, Glarus, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zurich
Metropolitan Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Statistics
Area 12,272 km2 (4,738 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2013)
1,859,376
650,660 (35%)
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Cathedral Cathedral of the Assumption
Patron saint St Lucius of Chur
Secular priests 590
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Vitus Huonder
Auxiliary Bishops Marian Eleganti
Vicar General Martin Grichting
Emeritus Bishops Amédée Grab Bishop Emeritus (1998-2007)
Peter Henrici Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus (1993-2007)
Paul Vollmar Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus (1993-2009)
Map
Bistum Chur.png
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Diocese of Chur extends over the Swiss Cantons of Graubünden (Grisons), Schwyz, Glarus, Zurich, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Uri.

A Bishop of Chur is first mentioned in 451/ 452 when its Bishop Saint Asimo attended the Synod of Milan, but probably existed a century earlier. The see was at first suffragan to the archbishop of Milan, but after the treaty of Verdun (843) it became suffragan to Mainz. In consequence of political changes it became, in 1803, immediately subject to the Holy See. According to local traditions, the first Bishop of Chur was Saint Lucius, who is said to have died a martyr at Chur around the year 176, and whose relics are preserved in the cathedral. St. Lucius is venerated as the principal patron of the diocese. (See G. Mayer, "St. Luzi bei Chur", Lindau, 1876.) The country had to pass through very severe struggles for the Christian faith. Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, and the Lombards after him, attempted to introduce Arianism in the sixth and seventh centuries.

The bishop soon acquired great temporal powers, especially after his dominions were made, in 831, dependent on the Empire alone. In the dispute between Emperor Barbarossa and Pope Alexander III, Bishop Egino of Chur sided with the emperor and was rewarded with the dignity of Prince of the Empire in 1170. The bishop was also temporal lord of the city, and in several cases a better warrior than pastor. In 1392 he became head of the League of Gods House (originally formed against him in 1367), one of the Three Leagues, but, in 1526, after the Reformation, lost his temporal powers, having fulfilled his historical mission (see Graubünden).


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