LATVIA
RIGA
Roman Catholicism was introduced in Latvia in the 12th century and a hierarchy,
with the Archdiocese of Riga as its center, was established soon afterwards. (1)
Following the Reformation in the 16th century, many Latvians adopted the Lutheran
faith and although a Catholic community continued to exist - especially in Lettgallia
- the indigenous Roman Catholic hierarchy gradually vanished, despite some attempts
to maintain it.
After the annexation of the Latvian provinces Courland and Livonia to Russia they
both at first were part of the Russian Archdiocese of Mohilev erected in 1783.
In 1848, while Livonia remained directly subject to Mohilev, Courland became part
of the Lithuanian Diocese of Samogitia, a suffragan of Mohilev.
In 1918, during the German occupation of the Latvian territories, the Diocese of
Riga was restored.
In 1923, after the founding of the Latvian State, it was made an Archdiocese.
(1) Riga became the center of the hierarchy in 1202.
It became an Archdiocese in 1255 and was suppressed in 1566.
š = sh
č = tsh
Bishops of Samogitia
1849 - 1875 Maciej Wolonczewski 1799 - 1875
1875 - 1883 vacant
1883 - 1908 Mieczyslaw Pallulon 1834 - 1908
1908 - 1910 vacant
1910 - 1913 Gaspar Felician Cyrtowt 1... - 1913
1914 - 1926 Pranciškus Karevičius 1861 - 1945
Bishops of Riga
1918 - 1920 Eduard Aleksander Wladyslaw,
Graf O'Rourke 1876 - 1943
1920 - 1923 Antonijs Springovičs 1876 - 1958
Archbishop of Riga
1923 - 1958 Antonijs Springovičs s.a.
Back to ROMAN CATHOLIC REGIONAL HIERARCHY