The Roman Catholic Church of Latvia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.
There are around 430,235 Catholics — around 17% of the total population.
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History
The Roman Catholic Church has been present in the area that now constitutes the Republic of Latvia since Saint Canute IV in the mid-11th century brought Christianity to Courland and Livonia[1] and the first Christian church was built 1048 in Courland[2]. Bishop Albert of Riga and the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were the first to initiate organized Christianization of all the indigenous people in the early 13th century - at the time tribal cultures like the Curonians, the Latgallians, the Livs, the Selonians and the Semigallians.
Organization
The highest office in the Roman Catholic Church of Latvia has since 1991 been held by cardinal Jānis Pujāts.
The Roman Catholic Church of Latvia is divided into one archdiocese and three dioceses:
External links
References and notes
- ^ St. Canute IV Catholic Encyclopedia, retrieved: 2007-04-28
- ^ Baznīcas vēsture 11. gadsimts catholic.lv, retrieved: 2007-04-28
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