Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden Dioecesis Groningensis-Leovardiensis Bisdom Groningen-Leeuwarden |
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The Saint Joseph Cathedral in Groningen
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Location | |
Country | Netherlands |
Territory | Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, and the Noordoostpolder |
Ecclesiastical province | Utrecht |
Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Utrecht |
Statistics | |
Area | 9,205 km2 (3,554 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2013) 1,914,000 109,500 (5.7%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Rite | Latin Rite |
Established | 1956 |
Cathedral | Saint Joseph Church, Groningen |
Patron saint | Saint Boniface |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Vacant |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Wim Eijk |
Vicar General | Peter Wellen |
Map | |
Location of the Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden in the Netherlands |
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Website | |
www |
The Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden (Dutch: Bisdom Groningen-Leeuwarden; Latin: Dioecesis Groningensis-Leovardiensis) is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern Netherlands. It encompasses the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe, as well as the Noordoostpolder, a part of the province of Flevoland.
The diocese was erected on 2 February 1956 as the Diocese of Groningen. Its current name was created on 4 February 2006.
There are some 110,000 Catholics (or 6.2% of the total population) living in the diocese, making it the smallest Dutch diocese in population, even while it is the largest in area, covering an area of some 9,205 square kilometers (3,554 sq mi). As per the most recent data available, the number of churchgoers in 2005 was 12,435 or 0.7% of the total population.
The diocese is currently vacant. The last bishop was Mgr. Gerard Johannes Nicolaus de Korte, former auxiliary bishop of Utrecht, who was appointed on 18 June 2008. The episcopal seat is the Saint Joseph Cathedral in the city of Groningen.
Coordinates: 53°12′53″N 6°34′23″E / 53.2146°N 6.5731°E