The Diocese of Hvar is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in the Dalmatian islands in Croatia. The diocese was established in 1147 after the Venetian conquest of the island. The seat of the bishop was set up in Stari Grad, and the present-day Church of St. Stephen was its cathedral. The first bishop was Zadranin Martin I. Manzavini. The new diocese was initially subject to the Archbishop of Zadar who was already under Venetian control. In 1180, the island of Hvar fell to King Bela III of Hungary and Croatia, who transferred the diocese to the archdiocese of Split in 1185. In 1278 the seat of the diocese was transferred to Hvar which under pressure from Venice was then being developed into the major town on the island. It is also known as the diocese of Lesina.

Ordinaries

Diocese of Hvar

1144 Erected from the Archdiocese of Salona 1300: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Korcula Latin Name: Pharensis Italian Name: Lesina

Diocese of Hvar

Renamed: 1889 Jan 14 Latin Name: Pharensis