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Diocese immediately subject to the Holy See Metz, France

Diocese of Metz

Meten(sis)

Latin Church

The Diocese of Metz is a Latin rite diocese covering the Moselle department in northeastern France, erected in the 3rd century and immediately subject to the Holy See; with Strasbourg it remains under the special concordat regime of Alsace-Moselle. Its cathedral is the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Metz.

On the map

Esri
Metz, France, drawn to the town rather than to the door: the register holds no verified address for its cathedral.

Every see on one map: browse the dioceses. Churches with recorded hours: find Mass times.

Established
201
Catholics
809,000
Priests
242
Territory
6,226 km²

Parishes and churches

132 listed churches in our records. Open a parish for Mass times, confession, directions and sources where recorded.

This is our recorded coverage, not an official diocesan parish count. Confirm service times with the parish before travelling.

The bishop

Bishop
Philippe Ballot
Born
2 October 1956
Birthplace
Corbenay

Explore the ministry of the bishop.

The cathedral

Cathedral of St. Stephen in Metz stands in Metz, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.

On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.

History

During the Middle Ages the Diocese of Metz (Latin: Dioecesis Metensis; French: Diocèse de Metz), a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France, was a prince-bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire, in practice an independent state governed by a prince-bishop who held the ex officio title of count. King Henry II annexed it to France in 1552, an act the Holy Roman Empire recognized in the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, and it formed part of the province of the Three Bishoprics.

This see in the wire

Filed by the see itself

Published on the see's own news feed. A diocese reports on the whole Church, so these are often about somewhere else.

  • Pope Leo XIV visits France

    Pope Leo XIV continued his trip through France on Saturday, September 26, visiting locations including Maison Bakhita.

    Sep 27, 2026 · Vatican

  • Pope Leo XIV presides over Vespers at Notre Dame

    Pope Leo XIV presided over Vespers at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Friday, September 25, during the first day of his apostolic journey to France. The Pope met with bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians, and consecrated men and women during the service. In his homily, the Pope called the clergy and religious of France to missionary conversion and urged them to cultivate an authentic love for the liturgy. He encouraged them to remain close to the Lord through prayer and to prioritize the principles of the apostolic exhortation *Evangelii Gaudium*. The Pope noted that the reconstruction of the cathedral has created opportunities for greater welcome and participation beyond the boundaries of the Church. He described the restoration of the cathedral, which suffered a fire in 2019, as a sign of hope for the entire Church.

    Sep 27, 2026 · Vatican · 12 sources

  • Diocese of Metz publishes daily Gospel commentary

    The Diocese of Metz published a daily commentary on the Gospel for Sunday, September 27, to help people reflect on the day's scripture.

    Sep 27, 2026 · Catholic Life

  • Diocese of Metz publishes Sainte Jeanne Jugan de Désiremont parish calendar

    Sep 26, 2026 · Dioceses

  • Diocese of Metz publishes commentary on the Gospel of the day

    The Diocese of Metz published a commentary on the Gospel of the day for Sunday, September 20.

    Sep 20, 2026 · Catholic Life

190 stories in the wire either name this see or come from its own feed. Read the wire.