Diocese of Namur Dioecesis Namurcensis Diocèse de Namur(French) Bistum Namur(German) Bisdom Namen(Dutch) | |
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| Location | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Ecclesiastical province | Mechelen-Brussels |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels |
| Coordinates | 50°27′49″N4°51′33″E / 50.463583°N 4.859234°E /50.463583; 4.859234 |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 8,100 km2 (3,100 sq mi) |
Population
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| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 12 May 1559 |
| Cathedral | St. Aubin's Cathedral inNamur |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Fabien Lejeusne |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Luc Terlinden |
| Bishops emeritus | Rémy Vancottem,Pierre Warin |
| Map | |
 The Diocese of Namur, coextensive with the two provinces ofNamur andLuxembourg | |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
TheDiocese of Namur (Latin:Dioecesis Namurcensis) is aLatin Church ecclesiastical territory ordiocese of theCatholic Church in Belgium.[1] It is a suffragan of theArchdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels.[2] The diocese is asuffragan in theecclesiastical province in themetropolitanArchdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. Itscathedra is found withinSt. Aubin's Cathedral in theepiscopal see ofNamur.
The diocese was constituted as asuffragan see of the newmetropolitan see of Cambrai by the papal bull of 12 May 1559 establishing the new bishoprics in the Low Countries. Its territory had previously belonged to the Diocese of Liège. After suppression in theFrench period the diocese was re-established by theConcordat of 1801, its extent matching that of theDepartment of Sambre-et-Meuse, and as suffragan of theArchdiocese of Mechelen. On 14 September 1823, the territory of the diocese was extended to include Luxembourg, which had previously been part of theDiocese of Metz. After theBelgian Revolution of 1830, a vicar apostolic was appointed for those parts of Luxembourg under Dutch control. As a result of theTreaty of London (1839) formalising the partition of Luxembourg between theGrand Duchy of Luxembourg and the BelgianProvince of Luxembourg, in 1840 ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the whole territory of the grand duchy was given to thevicar apostolic of Luxembourg, its loss to the Diocese of Namur being formalised on 7 October 1842.[3]
In 1907, the Diocese of Namur numbered 583,722 inhabitants, 36 deaneries, 37 parishes, 677 succursals, 96 auxiliary chapels, 111 curacies paid by the State. Within the diocese, religious congregations administered 2 orphanages for boys, 7 for girls, 1 mixed, 18 hospitals or infirmaries, 4 clinics, 194 infant schools, 1 house of rescue, 6 houses for the care of the sick in their homes, 1 asylum for deaf mutes, 2 houses of retreat, 1 insane asylum.[3]
St Aubin's Cathedral in Namur was founded as acollegiate church in 1047 byAlbert II of Namur. The first dean, Frederick of Lorraine, brother-in-law of Albert II, about 1050 secured fromMainz Cathedral a portion of the head ofSaint Albinus, to whose patronage the collegiate church was dedicated. In 1057 Frederick became pope under the name ofStephen IX. In 1209,Pope Innocent III formally took the church under his protection.[3] With the exception of one tower, the cathedral was entirely rebuilt inBaroque style in the 1750s.
The diocese also houses aminor basilica, theBasilica of Saint Maternus inWalcourt.
