Roman Catholic Diocese of Vincennes (Indiana)

The Diocese of Vincennes (in Latin, Vincennapolis), the first Roman Catholic diocese in Indiana, was erected 6 May 1834 by Pope Gregory XVI. Its initial ecclesiastical jurisdiction encompassed Indiana as well as the eastern third of Illinois. In 1843 the Diocese of Chicago was erected from the Illinois portion of the diocese, and in 1857 Diocese of Fort Wayne was erected from the northern half of Indiana. The seat of the episcopal see was transferred from Vincennes, Indiana, to Indianapolis, and on 28 March 1898 it became the Diocese of Indianapolis. Pope Pius XII elevated the Indianapolis diocese to an archdiocese in 1944, and erected two new Indiana dioceses: the Diocese of Evansville and the Diocese of Lafayette. The Diocese of Gary, Indiana, was erected in 1956. The Evansville Diocese absorbed the city of Vincennes upon its creation.

The first four Bishops of Vincennes resided at the seat of the episcopal diocese in Vincennes. Their remains are buried in the crypt of St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Vincennes. Bishop Chatard, who resided in Indianapolis and also served as Bishop of Indianapolis, was interred at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis; his remains were moved to Calvary Cemetery, Indianapolis, in 1976.

Before the Diocese of Vincennes was erected in 1834 its territory passed through three ecclesiastical jurisdictions: the Diocese of Quebec, Canada, until 1789; the Diocese of Baltimore, Maryland, 1789 to 1808; and the Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky, 1808 to 1834. It is believed that the first French Jesuit missionaries came to the area that included the site of present-day Vincennes, Indiana, in the late 17th century, around 1675. In these early years, the Diocese of Quebec supported the Catholic mission churches in the area. Father Mermet, who may have been the first priest at the site that became known as Vincennes, arrived around 1712, but it is not known how long he stayed.

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