NAGPUR, Diocese of. - In 1816 numerous Goan priests visited the civil district of Aurangabad and in 1820 that of N. In 1839, moreover, Irish priests, dependent on the apostolic vicariate of Madras, began to reside as chaplains at the military stations of Kamptee and Jaina.
They were succeeded later by some missionaries of Annecy, coming from the apostolic vicariate of Vizagapatam, which was elevated to a diocese in 1886. On 11 July 1887 the diocese of N. was detached from the diocese of Vizagapatam, and in 1895 its boundaries were adjusted. Evangelization among the pagans began only in 1897.
The mission is situated in central India and borders on the ecclesiastical circumscriptions of Vizagapatam, Hyderabad, Poona, Indore, Jabalpur, Ranchi, Calcutta and Cuttack. It is entrusted to the missionaries of Annecy and has an area of 91,070 sq. km. and about 15 million inhabitants, of whom barely 35 thousand are Catholics, 25 thousand Protestants, 350 thousand Muslims and the rest Hindus. Ecclesiastically the diocese is divided into 4 districts or rural deaneries: there are 21 parishes, 1 primary station, 15 secondary stations, 6 churches, 35 chapels. The clergy consists of 26 Indian secular priests and 25 from the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis of Annecy, 13 of whom are Indians, with 6 scholastics and 13 brothers. There is a major seminary and a preparatory school. About 200 nuns and 85 male teachers and 171 female teachers who teach in 24 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, 7 high schools, 3 vocational schools, 1 normal school. There are 13 dispensaries; 13 orphanages, 3 nurseries and a leper asylum. The diocese possesses 2 printing presses, from which come the Salesian, a monthly review, and the Apostolic School Bulletin, an annual, each with a print run of 350 copies. There are numerous confraternities, pious associations and associations of Catholic Action.
Bibliography2 works
Pompeo Borgna