Riga (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Zbigņev Stankevičs, Archbishop
Andris Kravalis, I.N.D.V., Auxiliary Bishop
Jānis Pujats, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 25 October 1923
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Latvia
Square Kilometers: 23,587 (9,110 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://katolis.lv/
Mailing Address: Metropolijas Kurija, Maza Pils iela 2/a, 1050 Riga, Latvia
Telephone: (672)27.266

Historical Details

Diocese of Riga
- Latin Name: Rigensis
- Erected: 22 September 1918
- Country: Latvia

Past and Present Ordinaries

Edward Aleksander Wladyslaw O’Rourke † (29 Sep 1918 Appointed - 10 Apr 1920 Resigned)
Antonijs Springovičs † (14 Apr 1920 Appointed - 1 Oct 1958 Died)
Jānis Pujats (8 May 1991 Appointed - 19 Jun 2010 Retired)
Zbigņev Stankevičs (19 Jun 2010 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Riga
22 September 1918	Erected	Archdiocese of Mohilev Diocese of Žemaičiai (Samogizia o Tels; Żmudź)	Diocese of Riga (erected)
9 June 1920	Territory Added	Diocese of Žemaičiai (Samogizia o Tels; Żmudź) (Courland (within Latvia))	Diocese of Riga
Archdiocese of Riga
25 October 1923	Elevated	Diocese of Riga	Archdiocese of Riga (Without Suffragans)
1 November 1924	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Riga	Apostolic Administration of Estonia (erected)
8 May 1937	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Riga (Courland and Semigallia)	Diocese of Liepāja (erected)
8 May 1937	Elevated		Archdiocese of Riga (became a Metropolitan)
2 December 1995	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Riga (Daugavpils, Kräslava, Dagda, Aglona, Preili, Livani, Varak¡ani, Rëzekne, Ludza, Nautrëni (Rogovka), and Vilaka)	Diocese of Rēzekne-Aglona (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Riga

1950 476,963 1,950,502 24.5% 126 ap1951

1970 268,560 2,334,000 11.5% 151 151 1,778 178 ap1971

1980 245,000 2,500,000 9.8% 125 10 135 1,814 10 178 ap1981

1990 500,000 2,667,000 18.7% 92 8 100 5,000 8 180 ap1991

1999 170,000 1,435,000 11.8% 19 14 33 5,151 1 14 37 57 ap2000

2000 170,000 1,420,000 12.0% 21 14 35 4,857 1 14 43 59 ap2001

2001 170,000 1,430,000 11.9% 23 11 34 5,000 1 11 42 62 ap2002

2002 180,000 1,400,000 12.9% 26 11 37 4,864 1 11 46 66 ap2003

2003 200,000 1,370,000 14.6% 28 11 39 5,128 1 11 74 66 ap2004

2004 200,000 1,350,000 14.8% 30 12 42 4,761 1 12 68 70 ap2005

2010 220,000 1,230,000 17.9% 35 10 45 4,888 1 10 53 73 ap2011

2014 222,910 1,234,000 18.1% 30 13 43 5,183 1 14 65 69 ap2015

2017 224,329 1,201,975 18.7% 41 15 56 4,005 1 15 59 64 ap2018

2020 207,560 1,182,100 17.6% 46 12 58 3,578 3 14 60 65 ap2021

2022 202,080 1,154,000 17.5% 42 14 56 3,608 3 15 59 65 ap2023

2023 198,480 1,150,100 17.3% 43 13 56 3,544 4 13 55 65 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Riga
1950	476,963	1,950,502	24.5%								126	ap1951
1970	268,560	2,334,000	11.5%	151		151	1,778				178	ap1971
1980	245,000	2,500,000	9.8%	125	10	135	1,814		10		178	ap1981
1990	500,000	2,667,000	18.7%	92	8	100	5,000		8		180	ap1991
1999	170,000	1,435,000	11.8%	19	14	33	5,151	1	14	37	57	ap2000
2000	170,000	1,420,000	12.0%	21	14	35	4,857	1	14	43	59	ap2001
2001	170,000	1,430,000	11.9%	23	11	34	5,000	1	11	42	62	ap2002
2002	180,000	1,400,000	12.9%	26	11	37	4,864	1	11	46	66	ap2003
2003	200,000	1,370,000	14.6%	28	11	39	5,128	1	11	74	66	ap2004
2004	200,000	1,350,000	14.8%	30	12	42	4,761	1	12	68	70	ap2005
2010	220,000	1,230,000	17.9%	35	10	45	4,888	1	10	53	73	ap2011
2014	222,910	1,234,000	18.1%	30	13	43	5,183	1	14	65	69	ap2015
2017	224,329	1,201,975	18.7%	41	15	56	4,005	1	15	59	64	ap2018
2020	207,560	1,182,100	17.6%	46	12	58	3,578	3	14	60	65	ap2021
2022	202,080	1,154,000	17.5%	42	14	56	3,608	3	15	59	65	ap2023
2023	198,480	1,150,100	17.3%	43	13	56	3,544	4	13	55	65	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Jānis Bulis (Priest: 22 May 1977 to 8 May 1991)
Andris Kravalis, I.N.D.V. (Deacon: 1 Jan 1998; Priest: 22 Aug 1999; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Mar 2019)
Eduards Pavlovskis (Priest: 25 May 1975 to 22 Jul 2011)
Jānis Pujats (Priest: 29 Mar 1951; Archbishop: 8 May 1991 to 19 Jun 2010)
Zbigņev Stankevičs (Priest: 16 Jun 1996; Archbishop: 19 Jun 2010 - )
Viktors Stulpins (Priest: 1 Jun 1995 to 20 Jul 2013)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Jānis Cakuls † (Priest: 18 Sep 1949; Coadjutor Apostolic Administrator: 9 Nov 1982; Apostolic Administrator: 23 May 1990; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 May 1991 to 18 Jun 1993)
Kazimirs Dulbinskis † (Priest: 8 May 1932; Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Jul 1946 to 17 Oct 1991)
Vilhelms Ņukšs † (Priest: 25 Mar 1964; Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Nov 1987 to 27 Feb 1993)
Edward Aleksander Wladyslaw O’Rourke † (Bishop: 29 Sep 1918 to 10 Apr 1920)
Jan Purwinski † (Deacon: 1960; Priest: 13 Apr 1961 to 16 Jan 1991)
Jāzeps Rancāns † (Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Oct 1923 to 3 Dec 1969)
Antonijs Springovičs † (Priest: 22 Sep 1918; Bishop: 14 Apr 1920; Archbishop: 25 Oct 1923 to 1 Oct 1958)
Pēteris Strods † (Priest: 26 May 1916; Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Jul 1946; Apostolic Administrator: 1 Oct 1958 to 5 Aug 1960)
Julijans Vaivods † (Apostolic Administrator: 10 Nov 1964 to 24 May 1990)
Valerians Zondaks † (Priest: 8 May 1932; Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Oct 1972 to 27 Sep 1986)

Source(s)

Diocese of Riga
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 12, Page 270, and Page 271
Archdiocese of Riga
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 15, Page 585, and Page 586
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 29, Page 387, and Page 388

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

Copyright David M. Cheney, 1996-2025
Code: web_d, v3.4.9, 15 Sep 2024; Data: 6 Aug 2025

✠

Archdiocese of Riga

Archidioecesis Rigensis