Diocese of La Rochelle
Rupellen(sis)
Suffragan diocese · Latin Church · La Rochelle, France
The Diocese of La Rochelle and Saintes is a Latin rite diocese covering the Charente-Maritime department in western France; La Rochelle was erected on 4 May 1648 and united with the title of Saintes on 22 January 1852. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Poitiers. Its seat is La Rochelle Cathedral (St. Louis), with Saintes Cathedral as co-cathedral. Bishop Georges Colomb has been assisted by Coadjutor Bishop Pierre-Antoine Bozo since August 2025.
The see
- Rank
- Suffragan diocese
- Tradition
- Latin Church
- Erected
- 4 May 1648
- Latin
- Rupellen(sis)
- Patron
- St. Eutropius of Saintes
- Annuario code
- 001001960
The see in figures
- Catholics
- 400,000
- Population
- 648,199
- Catholic shareof the people living within its bounds
- 61.7%
- Priests
- 81
- Catholics per priest
- 4,938
- Extent
- 6,863 km²
- Catholics per km²
- 58
Figures as recorded in the register, from the Annuario Pontificio and the see's own published statements. Shares and ratios are computed from the two figures shown beside them.
The bishop
- Bishop
- Georges Colomb
- Born
- 15 June 1953
- Birthplace
- Saint-Anthème
- Institute
- SOCIETÀ PER LE MISSIONI ESTERE DI PARIGI
A see whose chair stands empty is recorded as vacant rather than filled with a guess. On what a bishop is, see the bishop.
The cathedral
La Rochelle Cathedral stands in La Rochelle, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.
Its co-cathedral is Saintes Cathedral.
On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.
The province of Poitiers
A suffragan of Archdiocese of Poitiers.
The sees of this province:
- Archdiocese of PoitiersPoitiers
- Diocese of AngoulêmeAngoulême
- Diocese of LimogesLimoges
- Diocese of TulleTulle
On how the Church is ordered into provinces, see the diocese.
History
The département of Charente-Maritime, together with the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, forms the territory of the Diocese of La Rochelle and Saintes (Latin: Dioecesis Rupellensis et Santonensis; French: Diocèse de La Rochelle et Saintes), a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. Its bishop is a suffragan of the Archbishop of Poitiers. The episcopal seat is La Rochelle Cathedral, with Saintes Cathedral serving as a co-cathedral. As of 2021 the diocese had one priest for every 4,081 Catholics.
Catholic Intelligence
Get early access
We are indexing the whole visible Church: every diocese and parish on earth, searchable and mapped, with Mass times, clergy, and diocesan contacts. Launching soon. Sign up to be first in when it opens, starting with [object Object].
One email at launch. Nothing else.
Already have access? Sign inSources
The see's own website · Wikipedia
Compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. Corrections: hello@catholicintelligence.com.