The Diocese of Ostrava-Opava () is a suffragan Latin diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Olomouc in Moravskoslezský kraj, Moravia, in the Czech Republic.
The cathedral episcopal see is Katedrála Božského Spasitele, dedicated to the Divine Saviour, in Ostrava, and it also has a Co-Cathedral, the Co-Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Opava a Minor Basilica: Basilica of the Visitation of Our Lady in Frýdek-Místek
History Established on May 30, 1996 as Diocese of Ostrava–Opava / Ostravien(sis)–Opavien(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from its Metropolitan, the Archdiocese of Olomouc, which territory was part until 1978 (the former Apostolic Administration of Český Těšín) of the then Diocese of Wrocław (Poland) while that comprised all Silesia.
Attempts to erect a diocese in the territory of today's one had already been made in the past. The papal bull Suprema dispositione of December 5, 1777, by which the ecclesiastical province of Olomouc was established, provided that its suffragans should also include the Diocese of Opava (dioecesis Oppaviensis), which was yet to be erected The bull Suprema dispositione, in Bullarii romani continuatio, Tomo VI, Parte I, Prato, 1843, pp. 429–432, specifically p. 429, no. 4. and was supposed to cover the part of Silesia that remained under Habsburg rule (Austrian Silesia). However, this diocese was never established.Alessio Volta, La Chiesa cattolica nell'epoca illuminista: le nuove diocesi, Lugano, 1911 (the book cites, pp. 14-18, the case of Troppau as an unrealized anticipation of the new "Josephinist" dioceses, created by Emperor Joseph II, that would be established later, partly because in 1777 Empress Maria Theresa was still reigning with a different approach to jurisdictional matters, and due to the presence precisely in Austrian Silesia, between 1766 and 1795, of the then bishop of Breslau, Philipp Gotthard von Schaffgotsch).
Statistics As per 2014, it pastorally served 429,300 Catholics (32.7% of 1,314,000 total) on 6,150 km² in 276 parishes and a mission with 247 priests (188 diocesan, 59 religious), 30 deacons, 218 lay religious (76 brothers, 142 sisters) and 8 seminarians.
Episcopate (all Roman rite)
Suffragan Bishops of Ostrava-Opava František Václav Lobkowicz, Norbertines (O. Praem.) (30 May 1996 – 17 February 2022), a Prince (by birth) of the Lobkowicz family, Vice-President of Czech Bishops' Conference (2005-01 – 2010-04-21); previously Titular Bishop of Catabum Castra (1990-03-17 – 1996-05-30) as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Praha (Prague, Czech Republic) (1990-03-17 – 1996-05-30) Martin David (2023-07-04 – ...); previously auxiliary bishop (2017-04-07 – 2023-07-04), Titular Bishop of Thucca in Numidia (2017-04-07 – 2023-07-04).
Notes
See also List of Catholic dioceses in the Czech Republic Roman Catholicism in the Czech Republic
Sources GCatholic.org, with Google mapa & satellite photo - data for all sections Catholic Hierarchy Diocese website