Diocese of Savannah: Difference between revisions

The '''Diocese of Savannah''', a [[suffragan diocese]] of the [[Latin Rite]], is an active diocese encompassing the southern 90 counties of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] in the [[United States]]. Founded in 1850 by [[Pope Pius IX]], it is led by Bishop Stephen D. Parkes as of 2020. As part of the [[Province of Atlanta]], the diocese serves a diverse Catholic community in a historically Protestant region, with 56 parishes and 24 missions. A notable aspect is its historic [[Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist (Savannah)|Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist]], which draws thousands of visitors annually for its Gothic architecture and cultural significance.

==Establishment==

The Diocese of Savannah was established on July 3, 1850, by [[Pope Pius IX]] to serve the Catholic population in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[Florida]], initially covering both states. It was created to address the needs of Catholic immigrants, particularly Irish and French, in the southeastern [[United States]], without a direct predecessor diocese.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://diosav.org/about/history |title=Diocesan History |website=Diocese of Savannah |accessdate=2025-06-04}}</ref>[](https://diosav.org/en/about-us/diocesan-history)