SAN GIOVANNI DI TERRANOVA (SAINT JOHN'S), ARCHDIOCESE of. - City and archdiocese in the province of Terranova (Canadà). The ecclesiastical province of S. G., erected by Pius X on 8 Feb. 1904, consists of the archdiocese of S. G. and the dioceses of Harbour Grace and S. Giorgio on the island of Terranova.
The diocese was erected by Pius IX on 4 June 1847 as a suffragan of Québec. On 29 Feb. 1856, Pius IX divided the diocese to form Harbour Grace, and on 16 Sept. 1870 to raise S. Giorgio di Terranova to the rank of diocese.
Originally S. G. comprised the whole island of Terranova, and when it became an apostolic vicariate in 1796 there were only 6 priests in the entire territory. Today the total population is 102,000 inhabitants, of whom 60,000 are Catholics served by 55 priests. There are 37 churches, 75 missions, 3 colleges, 2 orphanages, and 1 hospital.