Roman Catholic Diocese of Tongeren


The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tongeren was an ancient bishopric of Belgium, now a Latin titular bishopric in present Belgium.

History

In 344, it was established as Diocese of Tongeren on territory split off from the then Roman [Catholic Diocese of Cologne]. The traditional account makes Saint Servatius its founder.
In 380 it was renamed as Diocese of Tongeren and Maastricht, acknowledging a secondary see.
In 530 it was formally suppressed, its territory being used to establish the Diocese of Maastricht, which in turn was suppressed in 720 to establish the Diocese of Liège, but would be nominally revived in 1971 as a Latin titular see of episcopal rank.

Titular see

The diocese was nominally restored on 1969.05.30 as a Latin titular see of episcopal rank, with an exception of archiepiscopal rank.
It has had the following incumbents, after a long initial vacancy :Titular Archbishop Henri Lemaître , Apostolic Delegate to Vietnam, then Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Uganda, next Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Nordic countries Denmark and Finland and Iceland and Norway and Sweden, final Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands