Roman Catholic Diocese of Perpignan-Elne

Diocese of Perpignan–Elne

Dioecesis Elnensis

  • Diocèse de Perpignan–Elne
  • Bisbat de Perpinyà–Elna
Location
CountryFrance
Ecclesiastical provinceMontpellier
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Montpellier
Statistics
Area4,143 km2 (1,600 sq mi)
Population
  • Total
  • Catholics
  • (as of 2023)
  • 484,215
  • 316,800 (est.)
Parishes231
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established6 October 1822
CathedralCathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Perpignan
Co-cathedralCo-Cathedral of St. Eulalia and St. Julia in Elne
Patron saintSaint John the Baptist
Saint Eulalia
Saint Julia
Secular priests54 (Diocesan)
13 (Religious Orders)
23 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
PopeLeo XIV
BishopThierry Scherrer
Metropolitan ArchbishopNorbert Turini
Map
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Diocese of Perpignan–Elne (Latin: Dioecesis Elnensis; French: Diocèse de Perpignan–Elne; Catalan: Bisbat de Perpinyà–Elna) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese comprises the Department of Pyrénées-Orientales.

The Diocese of Elne was a suffragan of the Diocese of Narbonne until 1511. Pope Julius II made the Diocese of Elne directly subject to the Holy See in 1511, but on 22 January 1517 Pope Leo X reversed the policy, and the Diocese of Elne became again a suffragan of the Diocese of Narbonne. In 1582, by virtue of a Decree of the Council of Trent, Pope Gregory XIII made it a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tarragona. After 1678 it was again a suffragan of the Diocese of Narbonne.

The residence of the bishop of Elne and the seat of the diocese were moved from Elne to Perpignan, by Pope Clement VIII in 1601. Its territory brought together the Diocese of Elne, part of the Spanish Diocese of Urgell known as French Cerdagne, three cantons of the Diocese of Alet, and two villages of the Diocese of Narbonne.

Its see is the Perpignan Cathedral (French: Basilique-Cathédrale de Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Perpignan; Catalan: Catedral de Sant Joan Baptista de Perpinyà).