Roman Catholic Diocese of Ghent
The Diocese of Ghent (Latin: "Dioecesis Gandavensis") is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. The patron of the diocese is Saint Bavo of Ghent. History. The diocese was erected in 1559 by papal bull "Super universitas" to become independent of the Diocese of Tournai. Ghent had an important local administration and was the location of the Abbey of Saint Bavo, founded by Saint Amandus. However, this abbey was suppressed and the canons were  removed, moving to the collegiate church of Saint John, and it changed its name to Saint Bavo. This collegiate church became the see of the current diocese. The diocese was created from the surrounding dioceses in Belgium. Territorial structure. Originally, the diocese was much larger and contained the city of Hulst. Currently, the diocese is coextensive with the Belgian province of East Flanders, in addition to the municipality of Zwijndrecht, which is in the secular Province of Antwerp. Administration. The diocese produced some important priests and clergy like Edward Poppe. The current bishop is Abbot Lode Van Hecke OCSO who  was appointed by pope Francis in 2019. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. Ordinaries. The Bishop of Ghent is the ordinary of the Diocese of Ghent. List of the bishops of the Diocese of Ghent, Belgium