Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka
The Diocese of Banja Luka is a diocese of the Catholic Church in western Bosnia. The diocese is centred in the city of Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Erected on July 5, 1881, the diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, as the Diocese of Banjaluka. In 1985 the name of the diocese was changed to Banja Luka.
Željko Majić became bishop of Banja Luka in 2024.
History
After Bosnia Vilayet came under Austro-Hungarian rule in 1878, Pope Leo XIII restored the vilayet's church hierarchy. In Ex hac augusta, his 5 July 1881 apostolic letter, Leo established a four-diocese ecclesiastical province in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abolished the previous apostolic vicariates. Sarajevo, formerly Vrhbosna, became the archdiocesan and metropolitan seat. Its suffragan dioceses became the new dioceses of Banja Luka and Mostar and the existing Diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan.From 1883 to 1884 the Archbishop of Vrhbosna, Josip Stadler, was an apostolic administrator of the Diocese.
The original Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure in the city was built in 1887 and levelled in an earthquake in 1969. A new cathedral was built in 1974.
During the Second World War and after one-third of all the parishes ceased to exist, and in ten others the number of parishioners dropped significantly. There was also a shortage of priests. The Holy See started the process of beatification of four priests killed in the war, in 2014, including Juraj Gospodnetić and Waldemar Maximilian Nestor.
Demographics
The Diocese of Banja Luka has a population of 550,300. As of 2012, 35,428 are Roman Catholics.Deaneries
| Deanery | Dean | Parishes |
| Banja Luka Banjolučki dekanat | Ivo Orlovac O.F.M. |
|
| BihaćBihaćki dekanat | Rev. Iljo Arlović |
|
| Bosanska GradiškaBosansko-gradiški dekanat | Msgr. Vlado Lukenda |
|
| Deanery | Dean | Parishes |
| Jajce Jajački dekanat | Niko Petonjić O.F.M. |
|
| Livno Livanjski dekanat | The Very Rev. Adolf Višaticki |
|
| PrnjavorPrnjavorski dekanat | Msgr. Vlado Lukenda |
|
Churches
Parish churches
This is a list of Parish churches by deanery:Deanery of Banja Luka
- Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka
- St. Vitus's Church, Barlovci
- Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ivanjska
- Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka
- Saints Peter and Paul Church, Motike
- Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Banja Luka
- Church of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Presnače
- Saints Peter and Paul Church, Šimići
- Saint Joseph's Church, Trn
Deanery of Bihać
- Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Bihać
- Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Bosanska Dubica
- Saint Joseph's Church, Bosanska Gradiška
- Holy Trinity Church, Novi Grad
- Saint Joseph's Church, Drvar
- Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Ljubija
- Saint Joseph's Church, Prijedor
- Saint John the Baptist Church, Ravska
- Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sanski Most
- Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sasina
- Church of Saint Anthony the Hermit, Majdan
- Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Stratinska
- Sacred Heart Church, Šurkovac
Deanery of Bosanska Gradiška
- Church of Saint Roch, Gradiška
- Saint John the Baptist Church, Bosanski Aleksandrovac
- Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dolina
- St. Francis' Church, Mahovljani
- Saint Joseph's Church, Nova Topola
Deanery of Jajce
- Church of the Assumption, Jajce
- Saints Philip and James Church, Mrkonjić Grad
- Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ključ
- Church of Saint Elias, Liskovica
Deanery of Livno
- Church of Saint Elias, Glamoč
- All Saints Church, Livno
- Immaculate Conception Church (Vidoši)
- Saints Peter and Paul Church, Livno
- Saint John the Baptist Church, Livno
- St. Michael's Church, Livno
- St. Francis' Church, Bila
- Church of Saint Elias, Bosansko Grahovo
- Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Čuklić
- Saint Joseph's Church, Lištani
- Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ljubunčić
Deanery of Prnjavor
- Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Prnjavor
- Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Dragalovci
- Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kotor Varoš
- Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kulaši
- Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sokoline
- St. Francis' Church, Vrbanjci