Trois-Rivières, Diocese of

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, DIOCESI di. — Diocese and city in the province of Québec (Canada, North America).

The diocese of T. R., which covers a territory of 12,600 square miles, has a Catholic population of 192,380 souls out of a total population of 195,821. There are 245 diocesan priests, 91 religious, 86 churches, 85 parishes, 1 major seminary, 3 minor seminaries, 2 classical colleges for girls, 2 retreat houses, 12 hospitals and hospices, 45 male and 93 female religious congregations (Ann. Pont. 1953, p. 433).

The diocese of T. R., a suffragan diocese of Québec, was erected on 8 June 1852 in the city of the same name on the north bank of the St. Lawrence River, between the cities of Montréal and Québec. In July 1885, all the parishes on the south bank of the river were detached NICCOLÒ (v.). The first bishop was Mgr. Tommaso Cooke (1852–70).

(from V. Garofoli, De vita Jean. Chrysostomi T., Bologna 1781) TROMBELLI, GIOVANNI CRISOSTOMO — Medallion with portrait.

The shrine of Our Lady of Cap-de-la-Madeleine is much frequented in the diocese; it was declared a national shrine and entrusted to the care of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The statue of the Virgin was crowned by mandate of Pius X on 12 October 1904. Pilgrims to the shrine on the feast of the Assumption alone exceed 100,000. The statue of N. D. du Cap, modeled on those of Fatima and N. D. de Boulogne in Europe, made a triumphal journey through the provinces of Québec and Ontario at the time of the Marian Congress of Ottawa (1947), and then continued its journey into Western Canada as far as the missions beyond the Arctic Circle.