December 17, 2016 marks the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Toronto, kicking off a year-long celebration of this historic milestone. Today the Archdiocese of Toronto is Canada's largest diocese, one of the most diverse faith communities in the world.

Originally part of the Diocese of Kingston, on December 17, 1841, Pope Gregory XVI formally created the Diocese of Toronto and named Michael Power its first bishop. Prior to his appointment, Bishop Power had served the church in Quebec.

The Archdiocese of Toronto is planning numerous historical and spiritual activities to commemorate the 175th anniversary, including a large-scale celebration at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica on May 30, 2017. In acknowledging this significant anniversary, the Archbishop of Toronto, Cardinal Thomas Collins, remarked:

"It is a tremendous blessing to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Toronto. It is always a joy to express my gratitude to those, past and present, who have made incredible contributions to our city, province and country, inspired by their faith. Over the next year, we will honour the past, energize our present faith community and look forward to an exciting future."

Some quick facts on the Archdiocese of Toronto:

• The Archdiocese of Toronto has a Catholic population of 2 million with almost 1,000 Masses celebrated across the archdiocese each week in more than 30 languages.
• The first parish established in the Archdiocese of Toronto was St. Paul's (now St. Paul's Basilica) in 1822, while still a part of the Diocese of Kingston.
• Close to 800 clergy and 560 religious women serve the faithful in the archdiocese.

News release: Archdiocese of Toronto Celebrates 175th Anniversary