Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diocese of AugsburgDioecesis Augustanus Vindelicorum Bistum Augsburg |
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Augsburg Cathedral
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Coat of arms
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| Location | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Ecclesiastical province | Munich and Freising |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Munich and Freising |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 13,250 km2 (5,120 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2015) 2,316,270 1,325,316 (57.2%) |
| Parishes | 998 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 6th Century |
| Cathedral | Augsburg Cathedral |
| Co-cathedral | Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Dillingen |
| Patron saint | St. Ulric of Augsburg St. Simbert of Augsburg St. Afra |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Bertram Meier |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Reinhard Marx |
| Auxiliary Bishops | Anton Losinger Florian Wörner |
| Vicar General | Harald Heinrich |
| Emeritus Bishops |
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| Map | |
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The Diocese of Augsburg (which means Dioecesis Augustanus Vindelicorum in Latin) is a special area within the Catholic Church in Germany. It's like a local church region that is part of a larger group, the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. This diocese follows the Latin Church traditions.
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History of the Diocese
How it Started
The city of Augsburg was once a Roman settlement called Augusta Vindelicorum. It became an important city for trade and as a military base.
Even though we don't know exactly when Christianity began here, it likely arrived with soldiers or traders. Stories tell us that by the early 300s, there was a Christian community in Augsburg. They had a bishop named Narcissus. A brave woman named St. Afra and her helpers were even burned at the stake for their Christian faith around this time.
After the Roman Empire declined, the church in Augsburg continued to exist. The first bishop we know for sure was Wikterp, who was bishop around 739 or 768. He worked with Saint Boniface and helped start monasteries like Füssen and Benediktbeuern.
Growing the Church
Under Bishop Wikterp or his follower Tazzo, many more monasteries were built. These included Wessobrunn and Ottobeuren. Around this time, the Diocese of Augsburg became part of the new Archdiocese of Mainz.
Saint Simpert (who died around 810) was an important bishop. He was related to Charlemagne, a famous emperor. Saint Simpert rebuilt many churches and monasteries that had been damaged in wars. He also built the first main church (cathedral) in Augsburg, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Emperor Charlemagne helped him clearly define the borders of his diocese. At that time, the diocese covered a large area, from the Iller river to the Lech river, and from the Danube river south to the Alps.
Later Years and Rebuilding
After a period where bishops also held political power (known as the Prince-Bishopric), the diocese was brought back to its religious focus. This happened after the Congress of Vienna.
Bishops like Ignatius Albert von Riegg (1824–1836) worked hard to improve education for everyone. He made sure that the Benedictine monks in Augsburg helped with studies at the local school.
Later bishops continued this work. Petrus von Richarz (1837–1855) encouraged missions and helped set up many religious groups. These groups cared for the sick and provided education. Pankratius von Dinkel (1858–1894) established seminaries (schools for priests) and a school for the deaf and mute. He also helped found many monasteries.
These leaders focused on improving religious life and helping the community. They made sure the clergy (priests) were well-trained and supported social and intellectual activities.
Bishops of Augsburg
The Diocese of Augsburg has had many bishops over its long history. Here are some of the more recent ones:
- Ignatz Albert (Joseph Ignatz Alexius) von Riegg, O.S.A. (1824–1836)
- Johann Peter von Richarz (1836–1855)
- Michael von Deinlein (1856–1858)
- Pankratius von Dinkel (1858–1894)
- Petrus von Hötzl, O.F.M. (1894–1902)
- Maximilian von Lingg (1902–1930)
- Joseph Kumpfmüller (1930–1949)
- Josef Freundorfer (1949–1963)
- Josef Stimpfle (1963–1992)
- Viktor Josef Dammertz, O.S.B. (1992–2004)
- Walter Mixa (2005–2010)
- Konrad Zdarsa (2010–2019)
- Bertram Meier (2020–present)
Auxiliary Bishops
Auxiliary bishops help the main bishop with his duties. Here are some of the auxiliary bishops who have served the Diocese of Augsburg:
- Johann Baptist Judas Thaddeus von Keller (1816–1828)
- Peter Göbl (1911–1916)
- Josef Kumpfmüller (1930–1949)
- Franz Xaver Eberle (1934–1951)
- Manfred Müller (1972–1982)
- Karl Reth (1916–1933)
- Joseph Zimmermann (1952–1972)
- Rudolf Schmid (1972–1990)
- Maximilian Ziegelbauer (1983–1998)
- Josef Grünwald (1995–2011)
- Anton Losinger (2000–present)
- Florian Wörner (2012–present)
Images for kids
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Map of the deaneries (smaller church districts) of the Bishopric of Augsburg
See also
- Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Dillingen
