The Year of Our Lord 1959

Diocese Events

January to June

Date	From		To
10 Jan	Archdiocese of Cuzco, Peru (Canchis, Canas, Espinar, and Chumbivileas)	Territory Lost	Territorial Prelature of Sicuani, Peru	Erected
17 Jan	Archdiocese of Paraíba, Brazil (Aroeiras and Umbuzeiro)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil	Territory Added
17 Jan	Diocese of Cajazeiras, Paraiba, Brazil (Malta, Princesa Isabel, Santa Luzia, and São Mamede along with St. Anthony and St. Anne in Piancó) Diocese of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil (Taperoá and Teixeira along with Junco do Seridó in Santa Luzia)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Patos, Paraiba, Brazil	Erected
9 Feb	Diocese of Berbérati, Central African Republic (Bossangoa, Bouca, Batanfago, and Paoua)	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Bossangoa, Central African Republic	Erected
9 Feb	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada, New Brunswick (Miramichi (Indian Mission of Burnt Church))	Territory Lost	Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada	Territory Added
12 Feb	Prefecture Apostolic of Niamey, Niger (Dori and Fada)	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Fada N’Gourma, Burkina Faso	Erected
16 Feb	Diocese of Sinaloa, México	Name Changed	Diocese of Culiacán, Sinaloa, México	Name Changed
17 Feb	Diocese of Iquique, Chile (Arica except for Camina)	Territory Lost	Territorial Prelature of Arica, Chile	Erected
19 Feb			Ordinariate of Argentina, Faithful of the Eastern Rites	Erected
19 Feb	Prefecture Apostolic of Moundou, Chad	Elevated	Diocese of Moundou, Chad	Elevated
21 Feb			Military Ordinariate of Austria, Military	Erected
9 Mar	Diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada, Spain	Name Changed	Diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño, Spain	Name Changed
9 Mar	Diocese of Mondoñedo, Spain	Name Changed	Diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol, Spain	Name Changed
9 Mar	Diocese of Orihuela, Spain	Name Changed	Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, Spain	Name Changed
9 Mar	Diocese of Osma, Spain	Name Changed	Diocese of Osma-Soria, Spain	Name Changed
9 Mar	Diocese of Sigüenza, Spain	Name Changed	Diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara, Spain	Name Changed
9 Mar	Diocese of Tuy, Spain	Name Changed	Diocese of Tuy-Vigo, Spain	Name Changed
1 Apr	Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (La Altagracia and El Seibo)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia en Higüey, Dominican Republic	Erected
2 Apr	Diocese of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Diocese of Kimberley, South Africa Vicariate Apostolic of Windhoek, Namibia	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Bechuanaland, Botswana	Erected
2 Apr	Prefecture Apostolic of Oturkpo, Nigeria	Elevated	Diocese of Oturkpo, Nigeria	Elevated
9 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Ndola, Zambia (Solwezi, Kasempa, Mwinilunga, and Kabongo (except parts outside of Ndola))	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Solwezi, Zambia	Erected
17 Apr			Apostolic Exarchate of Germany and Scandinavia {Deutschland und Skandinavien} (Ukrainian)	Erected
18 Apr	Diocese of Loja, Ecuador (Cantón Chinchipe (Chinchique))	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Zamora, Ecuador	Territory Added
21 Apr	Archdiocese of München und Freising {Munich}, Germany (Family property of Joseph Scherm)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Augsburg, Germany	Territory Added
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Blantyre, Malawi	Elevated	Archdiocese of Blantyre, Malawi	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Fort Jameson, Zambia	Elevated	Diocese of Fort Jameson, Zambia	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Dedza, Malawi	Elevated	Diocese of Dedza, Malawi	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Kasama, Zambia	Elevated	Diocese of Kasama, Zambia	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe, Malawi	Elevated	Diocese of Lilongwe, Malawi	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Livingstone, Zambia	Elevated	Diocese of Livingstone, Zambia	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Luluabourg, Congo (Dem. Rep.)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Luebo, Congo (Dem. Rep.)	Erected
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Lusaka, Zambia	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Lusaka, Zambia	Erected
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Abercorn, Zambia	Elevated	Diocese of Abercorn, Zambia	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Ndola, Zambia	Elevated	Diocese of Ndola, Zambia	Elevated
25 Apr	Prefecture Apostolic of N’Zérékoré, Guinea	Elevated	Diocese of N’Zérékoré, Guinea	Elevated
25 Apr	Vicariate Apostolic of Zomba, Malawi	Elevated	Diocese of Zomba, Malawi	Elevated
27 Apr	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Mussum and Santa Lucia do Piai (of Caxias do Sul))	Territory Lost	Diocese of Caxias, Brazil	Territory Added
27 Apr	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Guaporé and Casca along with Maria (of Marau))	Territory Lost	Diocese of Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil	Territory Added
4 May	Diocese of Nagasaki, Japan	Elevated	Archdiocese of Nagasaki, Japan	Elevated
4 May			Diocese of Fukuoka, Japan (from Tōkyō)	Metropolitan Changed
4 May			Diocese of Kagoshima, Japan (from Tōkyō)	Metropolitan Changed
15 May	Vicariate Apostolic of Aitape, Papua New Guinea (Remaining parts of Maprik)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Wewak, Papua New Guinea	Territory Added
15 May	Vicariate Apostolic of Wewak, Papua New Guinea (Remaining parts of Lumi)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Aitape, Papua New Guinea	Territory Added
17 May			Pontifical Lateran University, Roman Curia	Name Changed
21 May	Archdiocese of Diégo-Suarez, Madagascar (Ambatondrazaka and Andilamena) Archdiocese of Tananarive, Madagascar (Moramanga)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar	Erected
23 May	Diocese of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, México (Coatzacoalcos, Moloacán, Hidalgotitlán, Jáltipan de Morelos, Cosoleacaque, Texistepec, Oluta, Jésus Carranza, San Juan Evangelista, Mecayapan, Hueyapan de Ocampo, San Andrés Tuxtla, Playa Vicente, Chacaltianguis, and Tlacojalpan) Archdiocese of Veracruz-Jalapa, México (Acula, Amatitlán, Ixmatlahuacan, Tlacotalpan, Saltabarranca, Lerdo de Tejada, and part of Cosamaloapan)	Territory Lost	Diocese of San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, México	Erected
23 May	Archdiocese of México, Federal District (Tlaxcala) Archdiocese of Puebla de los Ángeles, México (Tlaxcala)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Tlaxcala, México	Erected
23 May	Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca, México (Yautepec, Mixes, and Choápa)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, México	Territory Added
4 Jun	Archdiocese of Delhi and Simla, India	Split	Archdiocese of Delhi, India Diocese of Simla, India (Ambala, Pattala, Karnal, and parts of Kangra (of Punjab); Mandi, Bilaspur, Mahasu, and Sirmur (or Sarmour) (of Himachal Pradesh))	Split
11 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea (Tresury, Shortlands and Choiseul and their neighbors, and Otong Java and their neighbors) Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands (Santa Isabel and the neighboring islands and New Georgia and the neighboring islands)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Western Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands	Erected
11 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Kitega, Burundi (Bujumbura and part of Muramvya (Bukeye, Muramvya, and Kiganda)) Vicariate Apostolic of Ngozi, Burundi (Bubanza)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Usumbura, Burundi	Erected
18 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Alexishafen, Papua New Guinea Vicariate Apostolic of Wewak, Papua New Guinea	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea (Western Highlands)	Erected
18 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Alexishafen, Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Goroka, Papua New Guinea	Erected
18 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Alexishafen, Papua New Guinea (Morobe)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Lae, Papua New Guinea	Erected
20 Jun	Diocese of Sonora, México (Ciudad Obregón (Olim Cajeme), Guaymas, Bácum, Navojoa, Etchojoa, Huatabampo, Alamos, Quiriego, Rosario, Yécora, Onavas, La Colorada, San Javier, Mazatán, Villa Pesqueira, Suaqui Grande, Sahuaripa, Bacanora, Soyopa, Arivechi, Batuc, San Pedro de la ...)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México	Erected
20 Jun	Territorial Prelature of Foz do Iguaçu (Iguassú), Brazil (Campo Mourâo, Araruna, Cianorte, Cruzeiro d'Oeste, Engenheiro Beltrâo, Goioerê, Jussará, Manuel Ribas, Peabirú, Pitanga, Rondón, and Terra Boa)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Campo Mourão, Parana, Brazil	Erected
20 Jun	Archdiocese of Concepción (Santissima Concezione), Chile (Biobío) Diocese of Temuco, Chile (Collipulli (in Malleco))	Territory Lost	Diocese of Los Angeles, Chile	Erected
20 Jun	Archdiocese of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Santa Cruz do Sul, Arroio do Meio, Candelaria, Encantado, Encruzilhada do Sul, Lajeado, Rio Pardo, Venancio Aires, Vera Cruz, and Arvorezinha)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil	Erected
20 Jun	Territorial Prelature of Foz do Iguaçu (Iguassú), Brazil (Cascavel, Foz do Iguaçii, Guaira, Guaraniaçu, Laranjeiras do Sul, and Toledo along with Marquimho and Cantagalo and part of Goioxim)	Territory Lost	Diocese of Toledo, Parana, Brazil	Erected
24 Jun			Congregation of Saint John the Baptist Precursor	Approbation
29 Jun			Istituto di Cristo Redentore	Founded
30 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Bukavu, Congo (Dem. Rep.)	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Goma, Congo (Dem. Rep.)	Erected
30 Jun	Vicariate Apostolic of Hiroshima, Japan	Elevated	Diocese of Hiroshima, Japan	Elevated

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