About the Diocese

Blessed Pius IX established the Diocese of Wheeling on July 19, 1850. The Diocese was re-designated the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston on October 4, 1974, under a decree of Pope Paul VI, with Co-Cathedral Sacred Heart Church, Charleston, West Virginia.

The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston comprises the entire State of West Virginia, with a total population of 1,806,926 in an area of 24,282.45 square miles.

When established in 1850, the Diocese of Wheeling was entirely within the State of Virginia. In 1863 when West Virginia separated from Virginia, eight counties in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia continued as part of the Diocese of Richmond, and the Diocese of Wheeling included seventeen and one-half counties in Southwest Virginia.

On August 13, 1974, the Diocese of Wheeling was realigned to be coterminous with the State of West Virginia. The counties in Virginia then became part of the Diocese of Richmond.

Chancery Regulations

  1. The Chancery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
  2. All special collections are to be forwarded to the Chancery within two weeks of the day on which they are taken up.
  3. All prenuptial papers and requests for dispensations should be addressed to:

    The Tribunal
    Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
    P.O. Box 230
    Wheeling, WV 26003

    Please designate clearly the type of dispensation needed, and print or type the proper names of the parties.

  4. Matters pertaining to matrimonial cases, declarations of nullity and rogatorial commissions should be addressed to the Diocesan Tribunal at the address above.