Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam

• 16 March 1845: Established as the Apostolic Pro-Vicariate of Vizagapatam from the Apostolic Vicariate of Madras • 3 April 1850: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Vizagapatam • 1 September 1886: Promoted as Diocese of Vizagapatam • 21 October 1950: Renamed as Diocese of Visakhapatnam • 16 October 2001: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam Claretian Missionary Fathers (CMF) entered the diocese in the year 1888. In 1845, Rome entrusted a vast area of Eastern and Central India to the MSFS, who set their headquarters in Visakhapatnam. The first group of MSFS landed on the East coast of India on 8 September 1845. The order of Friars Minor Capuchins. A novitiate was opened in India in 1922 thus planting the order in the Indian soil. ==Bishops==

Pro-Vicars Apostolic • Fr. Jacques Henri Gailhot, (16 March 1845 – 1847) • Fr. Theophile Sebastian Neyret, M.S.F.S. (1847–1850); continued as Vicar Apostolic Vicars Apostolic • Bishop Theophile Sebastian Neyret, M.S.F.S. (1850–1862) • Bishop Jean Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S. (1862–1886); continued as the first bishop Bishops of Visakhapatnam (Vizagapatam until 1950) • Bishop Jean Marie Tissot, M.S.F.S. (1886–1890) • Bishop Jean-Marie Clerc, M.S.F.S. (1891–1926) • Bishop Pierre Rossillon, M.S.F.S. (1926–1947) • Bishop Joseph-Alphonse Baud, M.S.F.S. (1947–1966) • Bishop Ignatius Gopu, M.S.F.S. (1966–1981) • Bishop Kagithapu Mariadas, M.S.F.S. (1982–2001); continued as Archbishop Metropolitan Archbishops of Visakhapatnam • Archbishop Kagithapu Mariadas, M.S.F.S. (2001–2012) • Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu (2012–2024) • Archbishop Udumala Bala Showreddy (2025-Present) ==Suffragan dioceses==

• Eluru • Guntur • Nellore • Srikakulam • Vijayawada ==References==