Roman Catholic Diocese of Elphin

Diocese of Elphin Dioecesis Elphinensis
Location
Country	Republic of Ireland
Territory	Parts of counties Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath and Galway
Ecclesiastical province	Province of Tuam
Metropolitan	Archdiocese of Tuam
Statistics
Area	1,201 sq mi (3,110 km2)
Population - Catholics	70,000
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	Diocese in 1111
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo
Patron saint	St Ascius and the Immaculate Conception
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Kevin Doran Bishop of Elphin
Metropolitan Archbishop	Michael Neary Archbishop of Tuam
Map
The Diocese of Elphin within the Province of Tuam
Website
elphindiocese.ie

The Diocese of Elphin (Irish: Deoise Ail Finn) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the western part of Ireland. It is in the Metropolitan Province of Tuam and is subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuam. The current Bishop is Kevin Doran who was appointed in 2014.

The diocese covers parts of the counties of Roscommon, Sligo and Galway, and County Westmeath. Its Cathedral, which was originally established in the County Roscommon town of Elphin, is now in Sligo. The major towns are Athlone, Boyle, Castlerea, Roscommon and Sligo.

The See dates to the earliest days of the Irish Church. From the time Christianity first arrived in Ireland in the second half of the 5th century (in the form of Saint Patrick's mission), the early church was centred on Monastic settlements. St. Patrick founded such a settlement in an area known as Corcoghlan, now known as Elphin, in 434 or 435. The first Abbot bishop of this monastic settlement was Assicus, who was said to be St. Patrick's silversmith or coppersmith. Saint Assicus is now the patron of the diocese. Following the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 the diocese was formally recognised. . The Cathedral established here was dedicated to Beatae Mariae Virgini (Blessed Mary the Virgin).

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Wikipedia