Diocese of Columbus
diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States
The Diocese of Columbus (Latin: Dioecesis Columbensis) is a diocese of the Catholic Church covering 23 counties in central Ohio in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The mother church is St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus. The diocese was erected in 1868. The bishop is Earl K. Fernandes as of 2026.
Geography
The Diocese of Columbus contains 108 parishes in 23 counties:
Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Hardin, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Union, and Vinton.
History
1700 to 1860
During the 17th century, present-day Ohio was part of the French colony of New France. The Diocese of Quebec had jurisdiction over the region. However, unlike other parts of the future American Midwest, there were no attempts to found Catholic missions in Ohio.
The public source identifies “Diocese of Columbus” as diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Diocese, Columbus and diocese.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Diocese of Columbus”, the useful work is to connect “diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 24, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q868108. VIAF identifies the subject as 17144648244520957593. Authority coordinates are 39.963, -82.995. 2 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1868, 2026, 1700 and 1860.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Diocese of Columbus”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Diocese of Columbus primary sources, Diocese of Columbus archive and Diocese research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Diocese of Columbus”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Diocese of Columbus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.