The
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an
archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern
Illinois, a geographic area of 1411 square miles. The archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries. This local church is headed by
the Most Rev. Blase Joseph Cupich,
Archbishop of Chicago, assisted by six episcopal vicars, each responsible for a vicariate (region). The
see city for the diocese is
Chicago. The
cathedral parish for the archdiocese is the
Holy Name. Cardinal
Francis George, who served from 1997 until 2014, was the
Archbishop Emeritus until his death on April 17, 2015.