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