The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam () is an archdiocese located in the city of Visakhapatnam in India.
History 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)https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/02/08/250208b.html/
Suffragan dioceses Eluru Guntur Nellore Srikakulam Vijayawada
References
Sources GCatholic.org Catholic Hierarchy Official Website of the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam