The Latin Bishop of Gibraltar is the ordinary of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar The Diocese of Gibraltar () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. About twenty priests and nine sisters serve in the diocese. Carmelo Zammit was installed as bishop on 24 September 2016. ...

, covering the

British overseas territory The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, ...

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

, which is exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

, not part of any

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches, including those of both Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity, that have traditional hierarchical structures. An ecclesiastical province consist ...

, nor is it part of any (Spanish or British)

episcopal conference An episcopal conference, often also called a bishops’ conference or conference of bishops, is an official assembly of the bishops of the Catholic Church in a given territory. Episcopal conferences have long existed as informal entities. The fir ...

. The

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...

's episcopal seat (

cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principa ...

) is located in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned. The diocese also has a National Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. The incumbent, Carmelo Zammit, who was appointed Bishop of Gibraltar on 24 June 2016 and received

episcopal ordination A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

on 8 September 2016, was installed there on 24 September 2016. Lacking independence, the tiny territory (governed as

, but claimed by Spain) had no diplomatic relations, so no papal diplomatic representation.

History

* Established on 25 January 1816 as

Apostolic Vicariate An apostolic vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church under a titular bishop centered in missionary regions and countries where dioceses or parishes have not yet been established. The status of apostolic vicariate is often ...

of Gibraltar (''Gibilterra in Curiate Italian'', Latin adjective ''Gibraltarien(sis)''), on territory split off from the Spanish

Diocese of Cádiz In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

* Promoted to the Diocese of Gibraltar on 19 November 1910.

Statistics

As per 2014 it pastorally served 23,495 Catholics (79.8% of 29,431 total) on 6 km² in 5 parishes with 8 priests (7 diocesan, 1 religious) and 2 lay religious (1 brother, 1 sister).

Episcopal Catholic Ordinaries

Apostolic Vicars of Gibraltar

Exempt Bishops of Gibraltar

References

Sources and external links

GCatholic with Google map & - satellite photo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic bishops of Gibraltar Gibraltar-related lists