Catholicism was introduced into Switzerland in the course of the second and
3th centuries, a regular hierarchy - which survived both the Reformation of
the 16th century and the French domination at the end of the 18th century -
being set up in the course of the 4th.
In 1945 it consisted of :
- the exempt Dioceses of Basel, Chur, Lausanne-Genève-Fribourg, Lugano,
Sankt Gallen and Sion / Sitten
- the territorial Abbeys of Maria Einsiedeln and Saint Maurice en Agaunenote
It's possible, but not certain, that the Priory of the Grand Saint Bernard
still existed as a ninth independent jurisdiction in 1945. Information on
this issue is very welcome.
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The diocese of Basel was erected in 740. After the troubled period of the
French domination, when it actually ceased to exist, it was restored in 1828.
Bishops
(also Bishops of Lugano since 1888)
1863 - 1884 Éugène Lachat, in exile since 1873 1819 - 1886
1885 - 1888 Friedrich Fiala 1817 - 1888
1888 - 1906 Leonhard Haas 1833 - 1906
1906 - 1925 Jakob Stammler 1840 - 1925
1925 - 1936 Josef Ambühl 1873 - 1936
1937 - 1967 Franziskus von Streng 1884 - 1967
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The diocese of Chur was erected ca 451. (1)Bishops
1859 - 1876 Nikolaus Franz Florentini 1794 - 1881
1877 - 1879 Kaspar (II) Willi 1823 - 1879
1879 - 1888 Franz Konstantin Rampa 1837 - 1888
1888 - 1908 Johannes Fidelis Battaglia 1829 - 1913
1908 - 1932 Georg Schmid von Grüneck 1851 - 1932
1932 - 1941 Laurenz Matthias Vincenz 1874 - 1941
1941 - 1962 Christianus Caminada 1876 - 1962
(1) The diocese also covered the Principality of Liechtenstein.
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The Church of the Saints Nicolas et Bernard de Mont Joux was established in
the 12th century. It later became an exempt priory. (2)Priors
1865 - 1888 René Joseph Deléglise
1888 - 1939 Théophile Bourgeois
1939 - 1952 Nestor Adam 1903 - 1990
(2) It still was ca 1929, but, as already mentioned above, it's
not certain it still was in 1945...
The Priory was better known as the "Maison/Hospice du Grand
Saint Bernard".
It gained celebrity for its assistance to the Napoleonic
troops crossing the mountains to Italy in 1800.
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The Diocese of Genève was erected in the 4th century, that of Lausanne in the
sixth.
In 1819, most of the territory of the Genève diocese was united with Lausanne
which was consequently renamed Lausanne - Genève.
In 1924 the diocese was once again renamed, the name of Fribourg - the forced
residence of the Bishops of Lausanne since 1610, after the introduction of
the reformation - being added.
Bishops of Lausanne - Genève
1846 - 1879 Etienne Marilley 1804 - 1879
1879 - 1882 Christophe Cosandey 1818 - 1882
1883 - 1891 Cardinal (1890) Gaspard Mermillod 1824 - 1892
1891 - 1911 Joseph Déruaz 1826 - 1911
1911 - 1915 André-Maurice Bovet 1865 - 1915
1915 - 1920 Placide Colliard 1876 - 1920
1920 - 1924 Marius Besson 1876 - 1945
Bishops of Lausanne - Genève - Fribourg
1924 - 1945 Marius Besson s.a.
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In 1888 the Apostolic Vicariate of Ticino - established in 1884 from parts of
the Italian dioceses of Milano and Como - was made an exempt diocese.
Titular Bishops
1888 - 1971 The Bishops of BaselApostolic Administrators
(As the union with Basel was purely nominal, the Apostolic Administrators,
who had the rank and power of a Bishop, were the real heads of the Diocese)
1884 - 1886 Eugène Lachat, Titular Archbishop of
Damiata in Augustamnica I s.a.
1887 - 1904 Vincenzo Molo, Titular Bishop of Gallipolis
in Europae 1833 - 1904
1904 - 1916 Alfredo Peri-Morosini, Titular Bishop
of Arca in Dalmatia Inferior 1862 - 1917
1917 - 1935 Aurelio Bacciarini, Titular Bishop of
Daulia in Graecia I 1873 - 1935
1935 - 1968 Angelo Jelmini, Titular Bishop of Terme
in Cappadocia I 1893 - 1968
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The Abbey of Einsiedeln was founded in 934. It was a suffragan of the Diocese
of Chur until 1907 when it became a Territorial Abbey.
Abbots
1846 - 1874 Heinrich Schmid 1801 - 1874
1875 - 1895 Basilius Oberholzer 1821 - 1895
1895 - 1905 Kolumban Brugger
1905 - 1923 Thomas (II) Bossart
1923 - 1947 Ignatius Staub
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In 1847 the Apostolic Vicariate Sankt Gallen - detached from the Diocese of
Chur in 1836 - was made a Diocese.
Bishops
1863 - 1882 Karl Johann Greith 1807 - 1882
1882 - 1906 Augustin Egger 1833 - 1906
1906 - 1913 Ferdinand Rüegg 1847 - 1913
1914 - 1930 Robert Bürkler 1863 - 1930
1930 - 1938 Alois Scheiwiler 1872 - 1938
1938 - 1957 Joseph Meile 1891 - 1957
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The Diocese of Sion / Sitten was erected in 589.
Bishops
1843 - 1875 Pierre Joseph de Preux 1795 - 1875
1875 - 1901 Adrian (VI) Jardinier 1808 - 1901
1901 - 1918 Jules Maurice Abbet 1845 - 1918
1919 - 1952 Viktor Bieler 1881 - 1952
Back to ROMAN CATHOLIC REGIONAL HIERARCHY
(added 20 feb 2001)
