ERIE, Diocese of. - A city in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America and see of a suffragan diocese of Philadelphia; it comprises the following 13 counties situated in the northwest of the State itself: E., Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Forest, Clarion, Jefferson, Clearfield, Cameron, Elk, McKean, Potter, and Warren. It extends over approximately 25,580 sq. km.
In 1948, out of a population of 774,332 inhabitants, the diocese counted 151,207 Catholics, under the direction of 200 secular priests and 56 religious priests, with 123 parishes, 46 missions, 16 chapels, 3 colleges, 15 high schools, and 5 parochial schools. In the year 1946, there were 616 conversions. In the diocese there are 7 male religious institutes and 13 female religious institutes.
The territory successively belonged to the Diocese of Quebec (1733-58), to the Apostolic Vicariate of London (1738-80), and lastly to Pittsburgh, until 15 July 1853, when it was detached for the creation of the new diocese with its see in E., suffragan of Baltimore; lastly annexed to the new province of Philadelphia, created on 12 Feb. 1875.