Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Charles Morerod, O.P., Bishop
Alain de Raemy, Auxiliary Bishop
Pierre Farine, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 17 October 1924
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Switzerland
Square Kilometers: 5,566 (2,149 Square Miles)
Description: Cantons of Vaud (except Chablais), Geneva, Friborg, and Neuchâtel
Official Web Site: https://diocese-lgf.ch
Mailing Address: C.P. 240, 86 rue de Lausanne, CH-1701 Fribourg, Suisse
Telephone: (026)347.48.50
Fax: 347.48.51

Historical Details

Diocese of Lausanne
- Latin Name: Lausannensis
- Erected: 6th Century
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Besançon
- Country: Switzerland
Diocese of Lausanne et Genève
- Latin Name: Lausannensis et Genevensis
- United: 30 January 1821
- Country: Switzerland

Past and Present Ordinaries

Lambert de Grandson † ( 1090 Ordained Bishop - 1097 Resigned)
St. Amedée de Clermont-Tonnerre, O. Cist. † ( 1145 Appointed - 27 Sep 1159 Died)
Landri Dornac † ( 1160 Appointed - 7 Dec 1178 Died)
Ruggero da Vicopisano † ( 1178 Appointed - 8 Jan 1212 Resigned)
Berthold de Neuchâtel † (13 Jan 1212 Appointed - 13 Jul 1220 Died)
Gérard de Rougemont † (24 Jul 1220 Appointed - 26 Mar 1221 Appointed, Archbishop of Besançon)
Guillaume d’Ecublens † (16 Apr 1221 Appointed - 23 Mar 1229 Died)
Bl. Bonifacio Clutinc † ( 1231 Appointed - 15 Jul 1239 Resigned)
Jean de Cossonay † (1 Aug 1242 Appointed - 18 Jun 1273 Died)
Guillaume di Champvent † (21 Jul 1273 Appointed - 21 Mar 1301 Died)
Gerhard di Wippingen † (28 Dec 1301 Appointed - 30 Jul 1309 Appointed, Bishop of Basel)
Othon di Champvent † (30 Jul 1309 Appointed - 19 Apr 1312 Died)
Pierre d’Oron † (1 Oct 1313 Appointed - 27 Mar 1323 Died)
Jean d’Arcillon † (26 Oct 1323 Appointed - 15 Feb 1341 Died)
Jean de Bertrandis † (6 May 1341 Appointed - 20 Nov 1342 Appointed, Archbishop of Tarentaise (Moûtiers-en-Tarentaise))
Geoffroy de Veyrols † (20 Nov 1342 Appointed - 19 Feb 1347 Appointed, Bishop of Carpentras)
François di Montfaucon † (23 Mar 1347 Appointed - 28 Sep 1354 Died)
Aimo di Cossonay † (8 Jun 1355 Appointed - 6 Mar 1375 Died)
Guy di Prangins † (19 Mar 1375 Appointed - 11 Jun 1394 Died)
Aimone de Séchal † (24 Jun 1394 Appointed - 7 Aug 1394 Appointed, Administrator of Belley)
Guillaume de Menthony † (7 Aug 1394 Appointed - 8 Jul 1406 Died)
Guillaume de Challant † (13 Aug 1406 Appointed - 20 May 1431 Died)
Luis de La Palud, O.S.B. † (6 Jun 1431 Appointed - 4 Nov 1433 Appointed, Bishop of Avignon)
Giovanni di Prangins † (4 Nov 1433 Appointed - 1 Apr 1440 Appointed, Bishop of Aosta)
Giorgio di Saluzzo † (1 Apr 1440 Appointed - 5 Nov 1461 Died)
Jean d’Auxi † (31 Mar 1452 Appointed - 1453 Died)
Guillaume de Varax † (31 Oct 1462 Appointed - 11 Apr 1466 Died)
Jean Michel † (3 Jun 1466 Appointed - 28 Dec 1468 Died)
Giuliano della Rovere † (31 Jan 1472 Appointed - 15 Jul 1476 Appointed, Bishop of Coutances)
Benoit de Montferrand † (15 Jul 1476 Appointed - 8 May 1491 Died)
Aymon di Montfalcon (Montfaucon), O.S.B. † (16 May 1491 Appointed - 10 Aug 1517 Died)
Sébastien di Montfalcon (Montfaucon) † (10 Aug 1517 Succeeded - 1560 Died)
Claude Allardet † (17 Jul 1560 Appointed - 1561 Died)
Antonio de Gorrevod † (7 Nov 1565 Appointed - 24 Feb 1598 Died)
Jean Doroz (Dorotheus), O. Cist. † (13 Aug 1600 Appointed - 26 Aug 1607 Died)
Jean de Watteville, O. Cist. † (10 Jun 1609 Appointed - 22 Jul 1649 Died)
Jost (Jodok) Knab † (16 Dec 1652 Appointed - 4 Oct 1658 Died)
Jean-Baptiste de Strambin, O.F.M. † (26 Jun 1662 Appointed - 29 Jun 1684 Died)
Pierre de Montenbach † (20 Dec 1688 Appointed - 6 Jul 1707 Died)
Jacques Duding, O.S.Io.Hieros. † (1 Aug 1707 Appointed - 20 Nov 1716 Died)
Claude-Antoine Duding, O.S.Io.Hieros. † (23 Dec 1716 Appointed - 16 Jun 1745 Died)
Joseph-Hubert de Boccard † (9 Mar 1746 Appointed - 29 Aug 1758 Died)
Joseph-Nicolas de Montenach † (12 Feb 1759 Confirmed - 5 May 1782 Died)
Berndard-Emmanuel (François-Pierre) de Lenzbourg, O. Cist. † (17 Feb 1783 Appointed - 14 Sep 1795 Died)
Jean-Baptiste d’Odet † (27 Jun 1796 Appointed - 29 Jul 1803 Died)
Joseph-Antoine (Maxime) Guisolan, O.F.M. Cap. † (26 Mar 1804 Appointed - 9 Dec 1814 Died)
Pierre-Tobie Yenni † (10 Jul 1815 Appointed - 8 Dec 1845 Died)
Étienne Marilley † (19 Jan 1846 Appointed - 17 Nov 1879 Retired)
Christophore Cosandey † (19 Dec 1879 Appointed - 1 Oct 1882 Died)
Gaspard Mermillod † (15 Mar 1883 Appointed - 11 Mar 1891 Resigned)
Joseph Déruaz † (14 Mar 1891 Appointed - 29 Sep 1911 Died)
André-Maurice Bovet † (30 Nov 1911 Appointed - 3 Aug 1915 Died)
Placide Colliard † (6 Dec 1915 Appointed - 10 Feb 1920 Died)
Marius Besson † (7 May 1920 Appointed - 22 Feb 1945 Died)
François Charrière † (20 Oct 1945 Appointed - 29 Dec 1970 Retired)
Pierre Mamie † (29 Dec 1970 Appointed - 9 Nov 1995 Retired)
Amédée (Antoine-Marie) Grab, O.S.B. † (9 Nov 1995 Appointed - 12 Jun 1998 Confirmed, Bishop of Chur)
Bernard Genoud † (18 Mar 1999 Appointed - 21 Sep 2010 Died)
Charles Morerod, O.P. (3 Nov 2011 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Lausanne
6th Century	Erected	Diocese of Helvetii / Aventicum [Avenches] / Vindonissa [Windisch] (suppressed)	Diocese of Konstanz {Constance} (erected) Diocese of Lausanne (erected)
Diocese of Lausanne et Genève
30 January 1821	United	Diocese of Genève {Geneva} Diocese of Lausanne	Diocese of Lausanne et Genève
Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg)
17 October 1924	Name Changed	Diocese of Lausanne et Genève	Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg)
26 January 1965	Territory Lost	Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg) (Grand Saconnex)	Diocese of Belley
26 January 1965	Territory Added	Diocese of Belley (Part of Ferney-Voltaire)	Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg)

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

Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg)

1950 272,000 765,000 35.6% 508 350 858 317 370 2,450 222 ap1951

1970 542,000 1,300,000 41.7% 614 370 984 550 550 2,100 261 ap1971

1980 580,000 1,322,000 43.9% 482 300 782 741 410 1,880 281 ap1981

1990 595,000 1,333,000 44.6% 419 428 847 702 5 510 1,660 292 ap1991

1999 670,487 1,346,000 49.8% 360 286 646 1,037 12 448 1,157 291 ap2000

2000 673,217 1,346,000 50.0% 384 284 668 1,007 12 444 1,148 291 ap2001

2001 675,672 1,346,000 50.2% 365 274 639 1,057 9 478 1,133 291 ap2002

2002 675,644 1,346,000 50.2% 366 257 623 1,084 13 458 1,114 289 ap2003

2003 677,696 1,346,000 50.3% 362 266 628 1,079 15 463 1,079 287 ap2004

2004 681,126 1,346,000 50.6% 364 266 630 1,081 17 410 907 264 ap2005

2013 711,000 1,609,440 44.2% 270 243 513 1,385 24 433 755 248 ap2014

2016 624,921 1,720,000 36.3% 264 172 436 1,433 25 280 529 244 ap2017

2019 711,500 1,756,320 40.5% 251 178 429 1,658 31 260 428 231 ap2020

2021 717,000 1,770,069 40.5% 244 159 403 1,779 35 236 386 248 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg)
1950	272,000	765,000	35.6%	508	350	858	317		370	2,450	222	ap1951
1970	542,000	1,300,000	41.7%	614	370	984	550		550	2,100	261	ap1971
1980	580,000	1,322,000	43.9%	482	300	782	741		410	1,880	281	ap1981
1990	595,000	1,333,000	44.6%	419	428	847	702	5	510	1,660	292	ap1991
1999	670,487	1,346,000	49.8%	360	286	646	1,037	12	448	1,157	291	ap2000
2000	673,217	1,346,000	50.0%	384	284	668	1,007	12	444	1,148	291	ap2001
2001	675,672	1,346,000	50.2%	365	274	639	1,057	9	478	1,133	291	ap2002
2002	675,644	1,346,000	50.2%	366	257	623	1,084	13	458	1,114	289	ap2003
2003	677,696	1,346,000	50.3%	362	266	628	1,079	15	463	1,079	287	ap2004
2004	681,126	1,346,000	50.6%	364	266	630	1,081	17	410	907	264	ap2005
2013	711,000	1,609,440	44.2%	270	243	513	1,385	24	433	755	248	ap2014
2016	624,921	1,720,000	36.3%	264	172	436	1,433	25	280	529	244	ap2017
2019	711,500	1,756,320	40.5%	251	178	429	1,658	31	260	428	231	ap2020
2021	717,000	1,770,069	40.5%	244	159	403	1,779	35	236	386	248	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Pierre Bürcher (Priest: 27 Mar 1971; Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Jan 1994 to 30 Oct 2007)
Pierre Farine (Priest: 27 Jun 1965; Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Aug 1996 to 30 Jun 2015)
Charles Morerod, O.P. (Bishop: 3 Nov 2011 - )
Jean-Claude Périsset (Priest: 28 Jun 1964 to 16 Nov 1996)
Alain de Raemy (Priest: 25 Oct 1986; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Nov 2013)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Joseph-Emile Abbet, C.R.A. † (Apostolic Administrator: 29 Sep 1911 to 13 Feb 1912)
Claude Allardet † (Bishop: 17 Jul 1560 to 1561)
Jean d’Arcillon † (Bishop: 26 Oct 1323 to 15 Feb 1341)
Jean de Bertrandis † (Bishop: 6 May 1341 to 20 Nov 1342)
Marius Besson † (Priest: 23 Jul 1899; Bishop: 7 May 1920 to 22 Feb 1945)
Joseph-Hubert de Boccard † (Priest: 19 Sep 1722; Bishop: 9 Mar 1746 to 29 Aug 1758)
Dominique Boursey † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1474)
André-Maurice Bovet † (Priest: 25 Aug 1891; Bishop: 30 Nov 1911 to 3 Aug 1915)
Gabriel Bullet † (Priest: 8 Jul 1945; Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Dec 1970 to 16 Nov 1993)
Guillaume de Challant † (Bishop: 13 Aug 1406 to 20 May 1431)
Guillaume di Champvent † (Bishop: 21 Jul 1273 to 21 Mar 1301)
Othon di Champvent † (Bishop: 30 Jul 1309 to 19 Apr 1312)
François Charrière † (Priest: 15 Jul 1917; Bishop: 20 Oct 1945 to 29 Dec 1970)
Robert Chopard-Lallier, S.M.A. †
Barthelemy Chuet (Chouet, Cueti) † (Apostolic Administrator: 1469 to 1472)
St. Amedée de Clermont-Tonnerre, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 1145 to 27 Sep 1159)
Bl. Bonifacio Clutinc † (Bishop: 1231 to 15 Jul 1239)
Placide Colliard † (Priest: 21 Jul 1901; Bishop: 6 Dec 1915 to 10 Feb 1920)
Christophore Cosandey † (Priest: 18 Dec 1841; Bishop: 19 Dec 1879 to 1 Oct 1882)
Aimo di Cossonay † (Bishop: 8 Jun 1355 to 6 Mar 1375)
Jean de Cossonay † (Bishop: 1 Aug 1242 to 18 Jun 1273)
Stanislas Courbe †
Jean d’Auxi † (Bishop: 31 Mar 1452 to 1453)
Giuliano della Rovere † (Bishop: 31 Jan 1472 to 15 Jul 1476)
Joseph Déruaz † (Priest: 25 May 1850; Bishop: 14 Mar 1891 to 29 Sep 1911)
Landri Dornac † (Bishop: 1160 to 7 Dec 1178)
Jean Doroz (Dorotheus), O. Cist. † (Bishop: 13 Aug 1600 to 26 Aug 1607)
Claude-Antoine Duding, O.S.Io.Hieros. † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1716 to 16 Jun 1745)
Jacques Duding, O.S.Io.Hieros. † (Bishop: 1 Aug 1707 to 20 Nov 1716)
Guillaume d’Ecublens † (Bishop: 16 Apr 1221 to 23 Mar 1229)
John Baptist Esseiva, S.J. †
Henri Fuchs † (Priest: 1645; Apostolic Administrator: 4 Oct 1658 to 26 Jun 1662)
François de Fuste, O.F.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1451 to 1461)
Bernard Genoud † (Priest: 22 Jun 1968; Bishop: 18 Mar 1999 to 21 Sep 2010)
Viktor Franz Anton von Glutz-Ruchti † (Priest: 1770 to 1814)
Antonio de Gorrevod † (Bishop: 7 Nov 1565 to 24 Feb 1598)
Amédée (Antoine-Marie) Grab, O.S.B. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 3 Feb 1987; Bishop: 9 Nov 1995 to 12 Jun 1998)
Lambert de Grandson † (Bishop: 1090 to 1097)
Joseph-Antoine (Maxime) Guisolan, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 26 Mar 1804 to 9 Dec 1814)
Albert von Haller † (Priest: 29 Mar 1834 to 18 Mar 1858)
Louis-Séverin Haller, C.R.A. †
Thomas Henrici † (Priest: 1621 to 4 May 1648)
Dominique Jacquet (Jaquet), O.F.M. Conv. †
Charles Journet † (Priest: 15 Jul 1917 to 15 Feb 1965)
Jost (Jodok) Knab † (Priest: 13 Jun 1615; Bishop: 16 Dec 1652 to 4 Oct 1658)
Luis de La Palud, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 6 Jun 1431 to 4 Nov 1433)
Berndard-Emmanuel (François-Pierre) de Lenzbourg, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 17 Feb 1783 to 14 Sep 1795)
Ignaz von Lovina † (Deacon: 27 May 1684; Priest: 23 Sep 1684 to 15 Mar 1719)
Pierre Mamie † (Priest: 7 Jul 1946; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Jul 1968; Bishop: 29 Dec 1970 to 9 Nov 1995)
Étienne Marilley † (Priest: 28 May 1831; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Dec 1845 - Did Not Take Effect; Bishop: 19 Jan 1846 to 17 Nov 1879)
Guillaume de Menthony † (Bishop: 7 Aug 1394 to 8 Jul 1406)
Gaspard Mermillod † (Priest: 24 Jun 1847; Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Sep 1864; Bishop: 15 Mar 1883 to 11 Mar 1891)
Pierre Meynard, O.F.M. Conv. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Mar 1532)
Jean Michel † (Bishop: 3 Jun 1466 to 28 Dec 1468)
Joseph-Nicolas de Montenach † (Priest: 8 Mar 1732; Bishop: 12 Feb 1759 to 5 May 1782)
Pierre de Montenbach † (Priest: 16 May 1656; Bishop: 20 Dec 1688 to 6 Jul 1707)
Aymon di Montfalcon (Montfaucon), O.S.B. † (Bishop: 16 May 1491 to 10 Aug 1517)
Sébastien di Montfalcon (Montfaucon) † (Coadjutor Bishop: 12 Oct 1513; Bishop: 10 Aug 1517 to 1560)
François di Montfaucon † (Bishop: 23 Mar 1347 to 28 Sep 1354)
Benoit de Montferrand † (Bishop: 15 Jul 1476 to 8 May 1491)
Berthold de Neuchâtel † (Bishop: 13 Jan 1212 to 13 Jul 1220)
Jean-Baptiste d’Odet † (Priest: 23 Sep 1775; Bishop: 27 Jun 1796 to 29 Jul 1803)
Pierre d’Oron † (Bishop: 1 Oct 1313 to 27 Mar 1323)
Jean Peroni, O.P. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 21 Jun 1557)
Etienne Plovier † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1447 to 1451)
Giovanni di Prangins † (Bishop: 4 Nov 1433 to 1 Apr 1440)
Guy di Prangins † (Bishop: 19 Mar 1375 to 11 Jun 1394)
Raymond de Rota, O.P. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Nov 1461)
Gérard de Rougemont † (Bishop: 24 Jul 1220 to 26 Mar 1221)
Giorgio di Saluzzo † (Bishop: 1 Apr 1440 to 5 Nov 1461)
Aimone de Séchal † (Administrator: 24 Jun 1394 to 7 Aug 1394)
Jean-Baptiste de Strambin, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 26 Jun 1662 to 29 Jun 1684)
Guillaume de Varax † (Bishop: 31 Oct 1462 to 11 Apr 1466)
Geoffroy de Veyrols † (Bishop: 20 Nov 1342 to 19 Feb 1347)
Ruggero da Vicopisano † (Bishop: 1178 to 8 Jan 1212)
Jean de Watteville, O. Cist. † (Bishop: 10 Jun 1609 to 22 Jul 1649)
Gerhard di Wippingen † (Bishop: 28 Dec 1301 to 30 Jul 1309)
Pierre-Tobie Yenni † (Priest: 23 Sep 1797; Bishop: 10 Jul 1815 to 8 Dec 1845)

Source(s)

Diocese of Lausanne
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 1, Page 296, and Page 297
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 2, Page 173
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 3, Page 220
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 217
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 5, Page 239
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 6, Page 255
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 283, to Page 284

Diocese of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg (Freiburg)