History

Raipur was established as a Prefecture by the Papal Bull "Religio Vera Christique Salus" of Pope Paul VI on January 16, 1964, with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Nagpur, comprising the Districts of Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg, all in Madhya Pradesh. It was entrusted to the Southern German Province of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines) which sent the first group of their priests in 1951.

On July 28, 1964 the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith placed the Prefecture as suffragan to the Archdiocese of Bhopal. The same Congregation by its decree of June 16, 1966 detached the District of Bastar (M.P) from the Diocese of Vishakapatnam (A.P) and attached it to the Prefecture with effect from August 15, 1966. On March 23, 1972 Bastar District was separated from Raipur Prefecture and established as an Exarchate (later Diocese of Jagdalpur) entrusted to the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate.

Raipur was erected into a diocese on July 5, 1973 and Msgr John Weidner, sac, was nominated Apostolic Administrator on February 8, 1974. Since 1975, the diocese comprises the Districts of Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg and Rajnandgaon.

Abp JOSEPH AUGUSTINE CHARANKAUNNEL 
Born: Jun. 06, 1938
Priestly Ordn: May 15, 1975
Episcopal Ordn: Feb. 07, 1993

Address: 
Khristbandhu Niwas
Byron Bazar
Raipur - 492 001
Chhattisgarh.
 
Tel: (0771) 24 23 995 (O), 50 01 577 (P)
Fax: (0771) 50 52 429
Mobile: 09 82 63 90 160 
E-mail: kbniwas@yahoo.com