View source for Diocese of Passau

{{Short description|Catholic diocese in Germany}}

{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction      = Diocese<!-- Type of jurisdiction: i.e. Diocese or Archdiocese -->
| name              = Passau
| latin             = Diœcesis Passaviensis
| local             = Bistum Passau
| image             = Passauer Dom.jpg
| image_size        = 260px
| image_alt         = 
| caption           = St. Stephan's Cathedral, Passau
| coat              = Wappen Bistum Passau.png
| coat_size         = 
| coat_alt          = 
<!---- Locations ---->
| country           = Germany
| territory         = 
| province          = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising|Munich and Freising]]
| metropolitan      = 
| deaneries         = 
| headquarters      = 
| coordinates       = <!-- Use {{coord}} -->
<!---- Statistics ---->
| area_km2          = 5,442<!-- Area in square kilometers, automatically converted -->
| area_footnotes    = 
| population        = 630,353
| population_as_of  = 2021
| catholics         = 466,750<!-- Number of Catholics in the diocese -->
| catholics_percent = 74.0
| parishes          = 285<!-- Number of parishes in the diocese -->
| churches          = <!-- Number of churches in the diocese -->
| congregations     = <!-- Number of congregations in the diocese -->
| schools           = <!-- Number of church supported schools in the diocese -->
| members           = <!-- Number of members in the diocese -->
<!---- Information ---->
| denomination      = [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]
| sui_iuris_church  = [[Latin Church]]
| rite              = [[Roman Rite]]
| established       = 737
| dissolved         = 
| cathedral         = [[St. Stephan's Cathedral, Passau|St. Stephan's Cathedral]]
| cocathedral       = 
| patron            = [[Conrad of Parzham|St. Conrad of Parzham]]<br>[[Maximilian of Celeia|St. Maximilian of Celeia]]<br>[[Saint Valentine|St. Valentine]]
| priests           = 275 (diocesan)<br />65 (Religious Orders)<br />46 Permanent Deacons<!-- Number of priests in the diocese -->
<!---- Current leadership ---->
| pope              = {{Incumbent pope}} <!-- DO NOT CHANGE. This will update the Popes Automatically as they change -->
| bishop            = [[Stefan Oster]]
| metro_archbishop  = [[Reinhard Marx]]
| coadjutor         = 
| auxiliary_bishops = 
| apostolic_admin   = 
| vicar_general     = 
| episcopal_vicar   = 
| judicial_vicar    = 
| emeritus_bishops  =
<!---- Map ---->
| map               = Karte Bistum Passau.png
| map_size          = 
| map_alt           = 
| map_caption       = 
<!---- Website ---->
| website           = {{Official website|https://www.bistum-passau.de/|bistum-passau.de}}
| footnotes         = 
}}
The '''Diocese of Passau''' ({{langx|la|Diœcesis Passaviensis}}; {{langx|de|Bistum Passau}}) is a [[Latin Church|Latin]] [[diocese]] of the [[Catholic Church]] in Germany that is a suffragan of the [[Archdiocese of München und Freising|Archdiocese of Munich and Freising]].<ref name=CathHierPassaux>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dpass.html "Diocese of Passau"] ''[[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]]''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016.{{self-published source|date=September 2023}}</ref><ref name=GCathPassau>[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/pass1.htm "Diocese of Passau"] ''GCatholic.org''. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016.{{self-published source|date=September 2023}}</ref> The Prince-Bishopric of Passau was an ecclesiastical principality that existed for centuries until it was [[German mediatization|secularized]] in 1803. The diocese covers an area of 5,442&nbsp;km².

==History==
===Lorch===
The Diocese of Passau may be considered the successor of the ancient [[Diocese of Lorch]] (Laureacum). At [[Lorch, Austria|Lorch]], a Roman station and an important stronghold at the confluence of the rivers [[Enns (river)|Enns]] and [[Danube]], Christianity found a foothold in the third century, during a period of Roman domination, and a Bishop of Lorch certainly existed in the fourth. The letter of [[Pope Symmachus]] (498–514) to Archbishop Theodore of Lorch is a forgery of Bishop Pilgrim.<ref>Brackmann, pp. 159-160. no. 1: "Spurium, confectum ab ipso Piligrimo ep. Pataviensi, eo consilio, ut sibi et successoribus suis pallium acquireret."</ref> During the great migrations, Christianity on the Danube was completely rooted out, and the Celtic and Roman population was annihilated or enslaved.

===Foundation of the diocese of Passau===
In the region between the rivers [[Lech (river)|Lech]] and Enns, the wandering [[Baiuvarii]] were converted to Christianity in the seventh century, while the [[Pannonian Avars|Avari]], to the east, remained pagan. The ecclesiastical organization of Bavaria was brought about in 739 by the papal legate [[St. Boniface]], who, with the support of Duke Odilo or at least enacting an earlier design of the duke,<ref name="Maß">{{cite journal|last=Maß|first=Josef|year=2005|title=Der hl. Bonifatius und das Bistum Freising|journal=Beiträge zur altbayerischen Kirchengeschichte|volume=48|pages=9–27|language=German}}</ref> erected the four sees of [[diocese of Freising|Freising]], [[diocese of Ratisbon|Ratisbon]], Passau, and [[diocese of Salzburg|Salzburg]].<ref>Brackmann, p. 160, no. 4.</ref> He confirmed as incumbent of Passau, Bishop [[Vivilo]], or Vivolus, who had been ordained in Rome by [[Pope Gregory III]] (731-741). From that time, Vivilo resided permanently at [[Passau]], on the site of the old Roman colony of [[Batavis]]. Here there existed a church established by a founder now unknown, which was dedicated to St. Stephen. Bishop Vivilo's diocese received by annexation the ancient Lorch, which meanwhile had become a small place of little importance. Thanks  to the duke, a cathedral was soon erected near the Passau church of St. Stephen, and there the bishop lived in common with his clergy.

The ecclesiastical province of Bavaria was created on 20 April 798, at the request of Charlemagne. [[Pope Leo III]] named Salzburg its metropolitan archdiocese, assigning as its suffragan dioceses Passau, Ratisbon, Freising, Säben-Brixen, and Neuburg and  sending Bishop Arno of Salzburg the ''pallium''.<ref>Brackmann, ''Germania pontificia'', pp. 4; 8 nos. 7 and 8; 161, no. 8. Hansiz, ''Germania sacra'' Vol. 2, pp. 6-7.</ref> The diocese of Passau was subject to Salzburg until 1728; from 1728 until 1817 it was directly subject to the [[Holy See]] (Papacy); from 1826, it became subject to the archdiocese of Munich-Freising.<ref>Brachmann, p. 157.</ref>

====Diocesan boundaries====
The boundaries of the Passau diocese extended westwards to the river [[Isar]], and eastwards to the Enns. In ecclesiastical affairs Passau was probably, from the beginning, suffragan to Salzburg. Through the favour of Dukes Odilo and [[Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria|Tassilo]], the diocese received many grants and endowments, and several monasteries were established, including  [[Niederaltaich Abbey]], [[Abteiland|Niedernburg Abbey]], [[Mattsee|Mattsee Abbey]], [[Kremsmünster Abbey]], these being richly endowed over time. In the late 8th century came the conquest of the Avari, who had assisted the rebellious Duke Tassilo. Subsequently, under Bishop Waltreich (774–804), the district between the Enns and the [[Rába|Raab]] was added to the diocese, which thus included the whole eastern part ([[March of Austria|Ostmark]]) of Southern Bavaria and part of what is now Hungary.

===Troubles with Moravia===
[[Pope Eugenius II]] (824–827) was said to have sent a letter to four bishops in Moravia and Hungary (Pannonia), informing them that he had created Bishop Urolfus of Passau an archbishop, and made him metropolitan of an ecclesiastical province, which included the dioceses of Favianensis, Speculiiuliensis (also known as Ouguturensis), Nitravensis, and Vetuarensis.<ref>Brackmann, p. 162, no. †10. Hansiz, pp. 146-150.</ref> Only two of the diocesan names are known. The document, however, is a forgery.<ref>Brackmann: "Spurium, confectum a Piligrimo ep. Pataviensi." Ernst Ludwig Dümmler, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0B1bAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Piligrim von Passau und das Erzbisthum Lorch,''] {{in lang|de|la}}, Leipzig: S. Hirzel 1854, pp. 18-21, 115-117 (complete text).</ref> It was invented by Bishop Pilgrim, to advance his claim that the diocese of Passau was the successor of the (arch)diocese of Lorch, and was entitled to the ''[[pallium]]''.<ref>Brackmann, p. 157: "Piligrimus ille, qui, ut pallium sibi acquireret simulque totam Pannoniam tunc recuperatam ecclesiae suae adiungeret, se successorem Lauriacensium archiepiscoporum esse privilegiis spuriis contendit."</ref> Neither the German kings nor the popes ever acknowledged validity of the claim.<ref>Brackmann: "Quamquam reges et summi pontifices haec privilegia minime confirmaverunt, fabulae tamen Lauriacensium archiepiscoporum non interierunt."</ref>

On 24 September 860, at the request of Bishop Hartwig of Passau, [[Louis the German|King Louis II]] granted a number of ''mansiones'' to Hartwig's [[Chorbishop|chorepiscopus]]<ref>Eric Knibbs, [https://books.google.com/books?id=OnE3DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA41 ''Ansgar, Rimbert and the Forged Foundations of Hamburg-Bremen,''] London: Routledge, 2016), pp. 39-41. Johann Friedrich, [https://books.google.com/books?id=84xfk06nxy0C&pg=PA315 ''Die vocati episcopi Erchanfried und Otkar der Passauer und der Oadalhart episcopus der Freisinger Urkunden,''] {{in lang|de}}, München: Franz i.Komm., 1882 [''Sitzungsberichte der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Philologische und Historische Klasse''], p. 320-322.</ref> Alberic.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 158.</ref> But in May 864,<ref>Philippus Jaffé, ''Regesta pontificum Romanorum'', {{in lang|la}}, second edition (Leipzig: Veit 1885), pp. 352-353, no. 2758.</ref> [[Pope Nicholas I]], writing to King Louis, noted that Bishop Hartwig of Passau had been paralysed for the previous four years (''abhinc quattuor annos''), but that he could not simply be deposed or set aside; he could, however, resign the diocese, if he were able to execute the proper documents.<ref>Brackmann, p. 162, no. 11.</ref>

The first missionaries to the pagan Hungarians went out from Passau, and in 866 the Church sent missionaries to [[Bulgaria]].<ref>Hansiz I, p. 161.</ref>

Before the spring 873, a three year long struggle on the part of several German bishops attempted to unseat Bishop Methodius, the "Apostle to the Slavs."<ref>Methodius had been consecrated in Rome by [[Pope Adrian I]] (867–872). Gustav Friedrich, Kristen Zdeněk, [https://books.google.com/books?id=fJZYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA19 ''Codex diplomaticus et epistolaris regni Bohemiae,''] {{in lang|la}}. Volume 1 (Prague: Sumptibus Comitiorum Regni Bohemiae, 1907), p. 17, no. 22: "Quia vero audivimus, quia Methodius vester archiepiscopus, ab antecessore nostro, Adriano scilicet papa, ordinatus vobisque directus, aliter doceat, quam coram
sede apostolica se credere verbis et litteris professus est, valde miramur...."</ref> [[Pope John VIII]] (872–882) wrote to his legate in Germany and Pannonia, Bishop Paul of Ancona, ordering him to advise [[Louis II of Italy|King Louis]] that Pannonia was directly subject to the Holy See (Papacy), and that he should inform Archbishop Alvinus of Salzburg and Bishop Ermericus of Passau that if they should deprive Bishop Methodius of his sacred ministry, the pope would do the same to them.<ref>Brackmann, pp. 162-163, no. 12. Friedrich & Zdeněk, [https://books.google.com/books?id=fJZYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA15 ''Codex diplomaticus et epistolaris regni Bohemiae,''], pp. 12-14, no. 18.</ref> Ermericus captured Methodius, kept him in prison during the bitter winter, held a meeting of bishops, and would have had Methodius beaten in public, were it not for the intervention of others. Pope John suspended Emericus, and summoned him, along with Bishop Paul and Bishop Methodius, to Rome for trial.<ref>Friedrich, & Zdeněk, [https://books.google.com/books?id=fJZYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17 ''Codex diplomaticus et epistolaris regni Bohemiae,''], p. 15, no. 19: "fratrem et coepiscopum
nostrum Methodium carceralibus penis afficiens et sub divo diutius acerrima hiemis et nimborum immanitate castigans atque ab ecclesię sibi commisse regimine subtrahens, et adeo in insaniam veniens, ut in episcoporum concilium tractum equino flagello percuteres, nisi prohiberetur ab aliis."</ref> He died on 2 January 874.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 162.</ref>

The Magyars made their first incursions into northern Italy in 899; in 900, they made their first raids into Bavaria.<ref>R.E.Dupuy & T.N. Dupuy, ''The Encyclopedia of Military History,'' second revised edition (New York: Harper & Row 1985), p. 254.</ref> In July 900, Archbishop Dietmar of Salzburg, Bishops Waldo of Frising, Erchanbald of Eichstatt, Zacharias of Säben-Brixen, Tuto of Ratisbon, and Richarius of Passau, sent a letter of complaint to [[Pope John IX]].<ref>Pope John had died in January 900. J.N.D. Kelly & M.J. Walsh, ''Oxford Dictionary of Popes,'' second edition (Oxford: OUO 2010), p. 116.</ref> They wrote that three bishops had come into the diocese of Passau from Moravia, Archbishop John and Bishops Benedict and Daniel, and had consecrated an archbishop and three bishops without the knowledge of the archbishop of Salzburg or the consent of the bishop of Passau. They reminded the pope of the good deeds of the kings of the Franks toward his predecessors; they refuted the charges of the Slavs; and they advised the pope not to believe the lies that they were telling about the Bavarian bishops.<ref>Brackmann, p. 163, no. 14. Hansiz I, p. 174.</ref><ref>Ernst Dümmler, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=DQQBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA511 Geschichte des ostfränkischen Reiches: Bd. Die Letzten Karolinger. Konrad I],'' (Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, 1888), pp. 511-515.</ref>

Passau, the outermost eastern bulwark of the Germans, suffered most from the incursions of the Hungarians. At that time many churches and monasteries were destroyed. The canons of Passau suffered especially great losses. On 12 August 903, therefore, at the request of Counts Arbo and Engilmar, vassals of the Church of Passau, and with the consent of Bishop Burchard, [[Louis the Child|King Louis IV]] agreed to the transfer of ''loca'' in Innveiertel, along with their ''decima'' and other appurtenances, which had previously been given as benefices by the bishop, to the power of the canons.<ref>Erich Trinks, [https://books.google.com/books?id=XN84AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA47 ''Urkundenbuch Des Landes Ob Der Enns,''] {{in lang|de|la}}, Volume 2 (Vienna 1856), pp. 47-48, no. XXXV.</ref> This is the earliest clear mention of the canons of Passau as a single body.<ref>Brackmann, p. 174. Johann Doll, ''Die Anfänge der altbayerischen Domkapitel'' {{in lang|de}}, (München: J. Lindauer'sche Buchhandlung (Schöpping), 1907), pp. 52-56.</ref> Additional invasions by Hungarians, usually damaging Passau, occurred in the incursion into Alemannia in 915 and 917, when Basel was destroyed and Alsace devastated; 921, centered on Thuringia and Saxony; 924, in which Franconia suffered; 925 in which Bavaria and Alemannia were attacked; and 926, when incursions reached Gallia.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 187.</ref>

When, after the victory the [[Battle of Lechfeld]], the Germans pressed forward and regained the old Ostmark, Bishop Adalbert (946-971) hoped to extend his spiritual jurisdiction over Hungary. He was present at the Council of Ingelheim in 948, and his title is given as "bishop", not "archbishop."<ref>Hansiz I, p. 200.</ref>

===Bishop Pilgrim===
His successor, Bishop [[Piligrim]] (971-991), who worked successfully for the Christianization of [[Pannonia]], aspired to free Passau from the metropolitan authority of Salzburg, but was completely frustrated in this, as well as in his attempt to assert the metropolitan claims which Passau was supposed to have inherited from Lorch, and to include all Hungary in his diocese. By founding many monasteries in his diocese he prepared the way for the princely power of later bishops. He also built many new churches and restored others from ruins.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 203-229.</ref>

===Princes of the Empire===
[[File:Territory of the Prince-Bishopric of Passau.jpg|thumb|left|The Prince-Bishopric of Passau, circa 1760. It was much smaller than the diocese of the same name.]]
His successor, Christian (991-1002) received in 999 from [[Emperor Otto III]] the market privilege and the rights of coinage, taxation, and higher and lower jurisdiction.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 233. Schrödl, pp. 85-86.</ref> Bishop Christian attended the diet of Frankfurt in 1007, at which the decision was taken to establish the diocese of Bamberg, and in 1012 he participated in the consecration of its new cathedral.<ref>Schrödl, p. 86.</ref> The [[Emperor Henry II]] granted him a large part of the North Forest. Henceforward, indeed, the bishops ruled as princes of the empire, although the title was used for the first time only in a document in 1193. Under Berengar (1013–1045) the whole district east of the Viennese forest as far as Letha and March was placed under the jurisdiction of Passau. During his time the cathedral chapter made its appearance, but there is little information concerning its beginning as a distinct corporation with the right of electing a bishop. This right was much hampered by the exercise of imperial influence.

At the beginning of the [[Investiture Controversy]], [[St. Altmann|Bishop Altmann]] occupied the see (1065–1091) and was one of the few German bishops who adhered to [[Pope Gregory VII]]. He served as papal legate of Pope Gregory.<ref>Brackmann, pp. 169-170, nos. 33-35.</ref> In 1175, he held a council in Passau, in which he had Pope Gregory's synodical letters of 1074 and 1075 read to the assembly; they mandated clerical celibacy. There was difficulty in enforcing the mandate, and Altmann wrote to the pope, who replied that if one of the clergy complied, he could be restored to his position, but if one refused, he was to be cut off completely.<ref>Brackmann, p. 167, no. 23; 169, no. 32. Hansiz I, p. 262.</ref> In 1080, Pope Gregory deposed Bishop Otto of Konstanz in the Roman synod of Lent, and ordered Bishop Altmann to travel to Konstanz and supervise the election of a proper bishop.<ref>Brackmann, p. 168, no. 26.</ref> In 1081, he commissioned Altmann to win back the archbishop of Salzburg and the other bishops who had gone over to [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|King Henry IV]], and that he should receive fraternally those who returned to papal obedience, in particular Bishop Benno of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück|Osnabrück]].<ref>Brackmann, p. 169, no. 30.</ref> In Easter Week 1085, Altmann attended a synod of bishops at Quindlenburg, presided over by the cardinal bishop of Ostia, in which Wezilo of Mainz; two weeks later, Wezilo and nineteen other schismatic bishops held a meeting at Mainz, and excommunicated fifteen bishops who were loyal to Gregory VII, including Altmann of Passau. Bishop Altmann was driven out of his diocese by his own clergy, who preferred King Henry and his [[Antipope Clement III]]. He was replaced by the schismatic Hermann, brother of Duke [[Liutold of Eppenstein]] of Carinthia.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 275-276.</ref>

[[Ulrich I, Count of Höfft|Bishop Ulrich]] (1092–1121) was present at the synod held by [[Pope Urban II]] at Piacenza from 1–7 March 1095.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 288.</ref> He was for a time driven from his see by [[Emperor Henry IV]],<ref>[[Pope Paschal II]], in a letter of 2 February 1104, to the bishops of Germany and Bavaria, laments that Bishop Ulrich of Passau and Bishop Gebeard of Konstanz had been driven from their dioceses. Brackmann, p. 170, no. 37.</ref> promoted monastic reforms and supported the Crusades. Reginmar (1121–1138), Reginbert, Count of Hegenau (1136–1147) who took part in the crusade of [[Conrad III]], and [[Conrad of Babenberg|Conrad of Austria]] (1149–1164), a brother of Bishop [[Otto of Freising]], were all interested in the foundation of new monasteries and the reform for those already existing. Bishop Conrad attended the diet of Ratisbon on 17 September 1156, and witnessed the ''privilegium'' of the Emperor [[Frederick Barbarossa]], in which he elevated the Ostmark of Austria into a duchy.<ref>Emil Reich, ''Select Documents illustrating Mediaeval and Modern History,'' London: P.S. King 1905, pp. 620-621: "adhibitis testibus idoneis quorum nomina sunt haec: Pilgrimus patriarcha Aquilegiensis. Eberhardus Salzeburgensis archiepiscopus. Otto Frisingensis episcopus. '''Chunradus Pataviensis episcopus.''' Eberhardus Babenbergensis episcopus. Hartmannus Brixinensis episcopus. Haertwicus Ratisponensis episcopus, et ... Tridentinus episcopus."</ref>

Bishop [[Diepold of Berg]] went on the [[Third Crusade]] with [[Frederick Barbarossa]] in 1189, accompanied by the dean of the cathedral, [[Tageno]],<ref>G.A. Loud, ''The Crusade of Frederick Barbarossa: The History of the Expedition of the Emperor Frederick and Related Texts,'' Farnham UK: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. 2013, pp. 3-5.</ref> whose diary contributed to later authors. Diepold died in Antioch on 3 November 1190, probably of some plague.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 335-336.</ref>

[[Ulrich, Count of Andechs|Bishop Ulrich]] (1215–1221), was formally recognized as a prince of the empire at the [[Reichstag of Nuremberg]] in January 1217.<ref>Johann Friedrich Böhmer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JoY8VPnuLxQC&pg=PA169 ''Regesta chronologico-diplomatica regum Atque Imperatorum Romanorum inde a Conrado I. usque ad Heinricum VII.,''] {{in lang|de}} (Frankfort: F. Varrentrapp, 1831), pp. 168-170. Schrödl, p. 184. Jean Louis Huillard-Bréholles, [https://books.google.com/books?id=OFgBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA493 ''Historia diplomatica Friderica Secundi,'' Volume 1, Part 2], {{in lang|fr}}, (Paris: H. Plon, 1852), pp. 493-496.</ref> The reforms which were begun by bishops Gebhard von Plaien (1221–1232) and Rüdiger von Rodeck (1233–1250) found a zealous promoter in Otto von Lonsdorf (1254–1265), one of the greatest bishops of Passau. He took stringent measures against the relaxed monasteries, introduced the [[Franciscans]] and [[Dominican Order|Dominicans]] into his diocese, promoted the arts and sciences, and collected the old documents which had survived the storms of the preceding period, so that to him we owe almost all our knowledge of the early history of Passau.<ref>See Schmidt, ''Otto von Lonsdorf, Bischof zu Passau,'' Würzburg, 1903.</ref> Bishop Peter, formerly Canon of Breslau, contributed to the [[House of Habsburg]] by bestowing episcopal fiefs on the sons of King Rudolph.

Cardinal Guido di Borgogna (Guy de Bourgogne), as papal legate, held a council in Vienna on 10 May 1267, attended, among many others, by Bishop Peter of Passau.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 410-411. Adam Ferenc Kollar, [https://books.google.com/books?id=goSxyiib-BQC&pg=PA3 ''Analecta monumentorum omnis aevi Vindobonensia''], {{in lang|la}},  Volume 1 (Vienna: Joannis Thomae Trattner 1761), p. 3.</ref>

It was during this period that the [[Fürstenzell Abbey]] was founded, in 1274.

Bishop Godefrid presided over a diocesan synod, held at St. Pölten on 19 March 1284.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 427-435.</ref> Bishop Bernhard of Prambach held a diocesan synod in Passau in June 1293.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 442.</ref>

===Passau without a bishop===
Under Bernhard of Brambach (1285–1313), Passau started striving to become a free imperial city. After an uprising in May 1298, the bishop granted the burghers, in the municipal ordinance of 1299, privileges in conformity with what was called the [[Bernhardine Charter]]. The cathedral having been burned down in 1281, he built a new cathedral which lasted until 1662. Bishop Bernhard died on 27 July 1313.<ref>Eubel I, p. 392.</ref>

The cathedral Chapter met as usual to select a successor, but the result was disorder. Two factions selected two different candidates, the larger part chose Canon Gebehard Walse, the minority Canon Albertus, the son of the King of the Romans. Gebehard went to Avignon, to lodge an appeal with [[Pope Clement V]], who died on 20 April 1314 before the matter was resolved; Gebehard too died before a new pope was elected. [[Pope John XXII]] rejected Albert, who was under age and not in holy orders. He then, on 3 June 1317, appointed [[Henri, Dauphin of Viennois|Henri of Vienne]], the brother of [[John II of Viennois|Jean, the Dauphin of Viennois]], who was also under age and not in holy orders.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 451-452. G, Mollat, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LTo2AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA367 ''Jean XXII. Lettres communes'', vol. 1] (Paris: Fontemoing 1904), p. 367, no. 4011.</ref> In fact, in April 1313, Pope Clement had granted Henri a license for seven years to study civil law, with the provision that he reside in one of his benefices. Then, on 6 September 1316, Pope John had written to the bishop of Grenoble that Henri wanted to resign all his benefices, and that the bishop should accept his resignations.<ref>Eubel I, p. 392-393, note 7.</ref> Documents indicate that there was no bishop seated in Passau in 1317–1320, and that episcopal functions were being carried out by the bishop of Frising.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 454-455.</ref> Finally, Pope John XXII appointed Albert of Saxony to the diocese of Passau, on 14 June 1320, though he was only in minor orders, and rector of the parish of Vienna. On 22 June 1320 he was given the privilege of having all his ordinations carried out on the same day, by a bishop of his own choosing.<ref>Eubel I, p. 393 with note 7.</ref>  He was ordained a subdeacon in Vienna, and ordained and consecrated in Salzburg by the archbishop in September 1321.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 456.</ref>

Bishop Albert von Winkel (1363–1380) was particularly active in the struggle with the burghers and in resisting the robber-knights. The [[Black Death]] visited the bishopric under Gottfried II von Weitzenbeck (1342–1362).

Bishop George von Hohenlohe (1388–1421) participated in the coronation of King [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor|Sigismund]] of Germany on 8 November 1414 at Aachen;<ref>Hansiz I, p. 493.</ref> from which he proceeded immediately to the [[Council of Konstanz]], which he attended throughout its sitting, as a close advisor of King Sigismund. He recognized [[Antipope John XXIII|Pope John XXIII]], and promoted an expedition against King [[Ladislaus of Naples]].<ref>Hansiz I, p. 493.</ref> Pope John XXIII granted Bishop George a bull on 1 February 1415, in which he released Passau from all metropolitan subjection to the archbishop of Salzburg, as well as from their control as papal legates, and granted the bishops of Passau the right to use the ''[[pallium]]''.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 493.</ref> After 1418, he was imperial chancellor,<ref>Chancellor: Hansiz I, p. 494.</ref> energetically opposed the [[Hussites]].

At the request of the archbishop of Salzburg, [[Pope Martin V]] issued a papal bull on 6 August 1418, "intenta Semper", in which he cancelled the arrangements made by John XXIII with respect to Passau. Passau's archiepiscopal status was removed, and the bishops no longer received the pallium.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 496-497.</ref>

===Frederick III, Sixtus IV, and Passau===
During the time of Bishop Ulrich von Nussdorf (1451–1479) the diocese suffered its first great curtailment. At the request of the [[Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Frederick III]], the '''Diocese of Vienna''' was established by [[Pope Paul II]] on 18 January 1469, out of territory taken from the [[Diocese of Passau]].<ref>Cesare Baronio (ed. Augustin Theiner), [https://books.google.com/books?id=d1dAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA468 ''Annales Ecclesiastici,''] {{in lang|la}}, Vol. 29 (Bar-le-Duc: Bertrand 1876), p. 468.</ref> This diocese was afterwards further enlarged at the expense of Passau by [[Pope Sixtus IV]]. Towards the close of the fifteenth century the conflict between an Austrian candidate for the see and a Bavarian brought about a state of war in the diocese.

On 1 July 1478, at the request of the Emperor Frederick, Pope Sixtus IV issued the bull "Super Universas", in which he granted the emperor the right to name the next bishop of Passau on the death of Bishop Ulrich.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 574.</ref> The emperor conveyed the contents of the bull to the Provost, Dean, and Chapter of Passau, in a letter of 25 October 1478, with the warning that they faced excommunication and loss of imperially granted privileges if they transgressed the terms of the papal bull or the imperial rights.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA551 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 551-552: "dumtaxat mandamus et districtius inhibemus, quatenus si a praefato Imperatore requisiti fuerint, ne ad ipsius ecclesie Antistitis, electionem, postulationem, nominationem aut provisionem procedant, iuxta huiusmodi ipsius Imperatoris requisitionem, nullo pacto ad aliquam dicte ecclesie Antistitis electionem, postulationem, nominationem, aut provisionem procedere debeant, uel aliquid desuper attemptare."</ref>

Bishop Ulrich died on 2 September 1479, and in October, claiming that they had received no notice of the Emperor's candidate, they proceeded to their usual and customary election.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 574: "...quodque ignorare se dicerent, quam tandem esset personam nominaturus Caesar...."</ref> The name of Canon Frederick Maurkircher was put forward by [[George, Duke of Bavaria]], the son of Duke [[Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria|Louis IX]]. Maurenkircher was a Doctor of Law and Chancellor of the duchy.<ref>Schöller, p. 162.</ref> In a contentious electoral process, he was supported by Bishop Albertus of Salona, the auxiliary bishop of Passau; and by the Dean of the Chapter, and by six other canons; they were joined by the dean of the collegiate church of Mautern, the abbot of Aspach, the provost of the collegiate church of S. Nicholas, and by two vicars of the cathedral.<ref>Supporters of Canon Maurenkircher: Hansiz I, p. 574. Schöller, p. 162.</ref> The emperor's nominee was George Hasler, who had studied at the University of Vienna and been a follower of the Franciscan inquisitor, [[John of Capistrano]]. Hasler had gone to Rome following his studies, where he became a [[protonotary apostolic]], and then a priest in the papal entourage.<ref>Hansiz, p. 574: "Romam se contulit, ubi rude donatus, Proto-Notarius primum Apostolicus, ac mox sacri Palatii sacerdos creatus est." (Auditor Sacri Palatii?)</ref> He returned to Germany, where he served as the emperor's secretary and councillor for more than ten years. In 1477, he was named a cardinal by Sixtus IV, over the objections of the College of Cardinals.<ref>Eubel, ''Hierarchia catholica'' II, p. 18, no. 18. Hansiz, p. 575.</ref> The electors at Passau, in a letter to the pope, claimed that the emperor had not nominated his candidate within a reasonable time, but, in a decree of 28 January 1479, Pope Sixtus rejected their claim on grounds of canon law, which provided for as much as a six-month interval between death of an incumbent and nomination of a successor.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA555 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], p. 555.</ref> Furthermore, their claim was beside the point, since they had violated the papal prohibition of an election. Sixtus therefore voided the election of Canon Frederick Maurenkircher, and threatened him with excommunication if he should persist in his claims and pretensions.<ref>Schöller, p. 163. [https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA556 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 556-563.</ref> On the same day, 28 January 1479, the pope provided (appointed) Cardinal George Hasler bishop of Passau.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA563 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 563-564.</ref>

Bishop Hasler was not welcomed in Passau.<ref>Schöller, pp. 163-165. Schrödl, pp. 305-306.</ref> On 13 December 1480, Pope Sixtus issued an excommunication against Michael Loehmer, Commissary of the diocese of Passau, because he and his associates refused to turn over the property of the diocese to Cardinal Hasler, and tore down and defiled papal bulls and letters from the doors of the church in Vienna.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA573 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 573-576.</ref> On 8 January 1481, Pope Sixtus admonished Dukes Albert and George of Bavaria not to give aid and comfort to the enemies of Cardinal George Hasler who had already been excommuinicated by the pope.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA576 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 576-579.</ref> On 15 January 1481, Pope Sixtus provided faculties and orders to his nuncio in Germany, Bishop Orso Orsini of Theano, to cite the auxiliary bishop Albertus, Canon Frederick, and the other canons of Passau, to appear at the papal court and purge themselves of suspicion of heresy.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA579 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 579-582.</ref>

Cardinal Hasler died on 21 September 1482; his body was taken to Vienna, where he was buried in the church of S. Maria Stiegen.<ref>Schöller, p. 166.</ref> On 30 October 1482, [[Pope Sixtus IV]] appointed Bishop-elect Friedrich Maurenkircher to the bishopric of Passau.<ref>Schrödl, pp. 307-308.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA605 ''Monumenta Boica'' Vol. 31, part 2], pp. 605-606: "Hodie ecclesie Pataviensi, cui bone memorie Georgius tituli sancte Lucie in Silice presbyter Cardinalis ex dispensatione apostolica, dum viveret, presidebat, tunc per obitum eiusdem Cardinalis extra Romanam Curiam defuncti, pastoris regimine destitute, de persona dilecti filii Frederici, Electi Pataviensis, nobis et fratribus nostris, ob suorum exigentiam meritorum accepta, de fratrum eorumdem consilio apostolica auctoritate providimus, ipsumque illi prefecimus in Episcopum et pastorem...."</ref>

===Reformation===
The [[Protestant Reformation]] was kept out of all the Bavarian part of the diocese, except the [[Countship of Ortenburg]], by the efforts of [[Ernest of Bavaria (1500–1560)|Ernest of Bavaria]] who, though never consecrated, ruled the diocese from 1517 to 1541. Lutheranism found many adherents, however, in the Austrian portion. Bishops Wolfgang von Salm (1540–1555) and Urban von Trennbach (1561–1598) led the [[counter-Reformation]]. Under Bishop Wolfgang the [[Peace of Passau]] was concluded, in the summer of 1552.<ref>William Robertson (1875), [https://books.google.com/books?id=pBFEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA76 ''History of the Reign of Charles the Fifth,''] Volume 3, Philadelphia: Lippincott 1875. pp. 76-84. Gerhard Bonwetsch (1907), [https://books.google.com/books?id=M9A2AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Geschichte des Passauischen Vertrages von 1552,''] {{in lang|de}}, Göttingen: Druck der Dieterichschen univ.-buchdr. (W.F. Kaestner), 1907.</ref> The last Bavarian prince-bishop was Urban, who in his struggles during the Reformation received substantial aid for the Austrian part of the diocese from [[Albert V, Duke of Bavaria]], and, after 1576, from [[Emperor Rudolf II]]. All the successors of Urban were Austrians. Bishop-elect Leopold Ferdinand of Austria  (1598–1625) (who also held the [[Bishop of Strasburg|diocese of Strasburg]] after 1607) was one of the first to enter the [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League of 1609.]] In the [[Thirty Years' War]] he was loyal to his brother, [[Emperor Ferdinand II]]. [[Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria|Leopold II Wilhelm]] (1625–1662), son of Ferdinand II, a pious prince and a great benefactor of the City of Passau, especially after the great conflagration of 1662, finally united five bishoprics.

Bishop [[Wenzelaus von Thun]] (1664–1673) began the new [[Cathedral of Passau|cathedral]] which was completed thirty years later by his successor Cardinal [[John Philip von Lamberg]]. Bishop John Philip was named a cardinal by [[Pope Innocent XII]] on 21 June 1700.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin, ''Hierarchia catholica'' V, p. 22, no. 29.</ref> His nephew and successor, Bishop [[Joseph Dominicus von Lamberg]] (1723–1762), was appointed a cardinal by [[Pope Clement XII]] on 20 December 1737.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin, ''Hierarchia catholica'' VI, p. 8, no. 24.</ref> They were brother and son to [[Franz Joseph I, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg]], and both cardinals served as diplomats for the Austrian court.

===Archdiocese===

In November 1719, the [[Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Charles VI]] wrote to [[Pope Clement XI]], requesting that he elevate the bishopric of Vienna to the rank of metropolitan see. The pope referred the proposal to the Consistorial Congregation, which reported favorably on 6 March 1721. Before the bulls could be prepared for signature, however, the pope died, on 19 March. The new pope, [[Innocent XIII]], issued the bulls on 1 June 1722, and named Sigismund von Kollonitz to the archbishopric.<ref>Gaetano Moroni, ''Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica'' {{in lang|it}}, Vol. 100 (Venice: Tip. Emiliana 1860), p. 8. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 414, with notes 1, 8.</ref> When Vienna was raised to an archdiocese in 1722, Bishop Raymond von Rabatta relinquished the parishes beyond the Viennese Forest, but in compensation the diocese of Passau was exempted from the metropolitan authority of Salzburg, and became a metropolitan diocese itself, directly dependent upon the Holy See (Papacy); the bishop obtained the pallium for himself and his successors.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 329, note 1. Cf. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 308, note 1.</ref> Archbishop [[Leopold Ernst von Firmian]] (1763–1783), created cardinal by [[Pope Clement XIV]] on 14 December 1772,<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 27, no. 7.</ref> established an institute of theology at Passau, and, after the [[suppression of the Jesuits]] in 1773,<ref>Paul Graf von Hoensbroech, [https://books.google.com/books?id=7OdJAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA84 ''Fourteen Years a Jesuit: A Record of Personal Experience and a Criticism''], Volume 2 (London & New York: Cassell, 1911), p. 84.</ref> founded a lyceum.

Under Archbishop Joseph von Auersperg (1783–1795), the [[Emperor Joseph II]] took away two-thirds of the diocese to form the dioceses of [[diocese of Linz|Linz]] and [[diocese of St. Pölten|St. Pölten]] and to enlarge for the last time the archdiocese of Vienna. [[Pope Pius VI]] issued the bull "Romanus Pontifex" on 28 January 1784, establishing the diocese of Linz.<ref>Pius VI, ""Romanus Pontifex", in: [https://books.google.com/books?id=VBlTjFNM%20pcC&pg=PA247 ''Bullarii Romani Continuatio'', Vol. 7], {{in lang|la}}, (Rome: Apostolic Camera 1843), pp. 247-255. Gaetano Moroni, ''Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica'' {{in lang|it}}, Vol. 38 (Venice: Tip. Emiliana 1846), p. 268;  on 14 February 1785, the first bishop of Linz was appointed in consistory by the pope.</ref> On the same day, the pope issued another bull, "Inter plurimas," in which he established the diocese of St. Pölten, also partially on territory which had been part of the diocese of Passau.<ref>Pius VI, ""Romanus Pontifex", in: [https://books.google.com/books?id=VBlTjFNM%20pcC&pg=PA240 ''Bullarii Romani Continuatio'', Vol. 7], pp. 240-247. Brackmann, p. 243.</ref>

The last prince-bishop, Leopold von Thun (1796–1826), saw the secularization of the old bishopric in 1803;<ref>Higby, pp. 118-119; 121-124.</ref> the City of Passau and the temporalities on the left bank of the [[Inn (river)|Inn]] and the right bank of the [[Ilz]] went to Bavaria, while the territory on the left banks of the Danube and of the Ilz went to [[Ferdinand III of Habsburg-Lorraine]], the former [[Grand Duke of Tuscany]], becoming part of the [[Electorate of Salzburg]] and afterwards to Austria. On 22 February 1803, when the Bavarians marched into Passau, the prince-bishop withdrew to his estates in [[Bohemia]], and never revisited his former residence.<ref>Schrödl, pp. 388-390.</ref>

===Reconstruction===
After the abdication of [[Napoleon]] (1815), [[Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria]] was confirmed as king of Bavaria by the [[Congress of Vienna]], and as a member of the [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Final%20Act%20of%20the%20Congress%20of%20Vienna/Act%20IX Federative Constitution of Germany], on 8 June 1815. There were adjustments in boundaries, the most significant being the transfer of Salzburg from Bavaria to Austria. New boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces and dioceses, therefore, had to be negotiated. A concordat between Bavaria and the Papacy was negotiated by Cardinal [[Ercole Consalvi]] and Baron [[Johann Casimir Häffelin]], and signed on 5 June 1817.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=gbREAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA397 ''Gesetzblatt für das Königreich Bayern: 1818,''] {{in lang|de|la}}, Munich 1819, pp. 397-436. The treaty was actually signed on 24 October 1817, after some outstanding disagreements were worked out: Higby, p. 330.</ref> The diocese of Freising was suppressed and its territory incorporated into the diocese of Munich.<ref>Higby, pp. 320-321.</ref> Article IX granted the kings of Bavaria in perpetuity the right to nominate candidates to all the vacant archbishoprics and bishoprics in the kingdom, subject to papal approval.<ref>Higby, p. 324: "Sanctitas Sua, attenta utilitate, quae ex hac Conventione manat in ea, quae ad res Ecclesiae et Religionis pertinent, Majestati Regis Maximiliani Josephi, ejusque Successoribus Catholicis per Litteras Apostolicas statim post ratificationem praesentis Conventionis expediendas in perpetuum concedet Indultum nominandi ad vacantes Archiepiscopales et Episcopales Ecclesias Regni Bavarici dignos et idoneos Ecclesiasticos Viros iis dotibus praeditos, quas Sacri Canones requirunt."</ref>

On 1 April 1818, [[Pope Pius VII]] issued the bull "Dei ac Domini", in which he put into effect canonically the changes agreed to in the Concordat with Bavaria.<ref>Pius VII, "Dei ac Domini", [https://books.google.com/books?id=5DG2dIeHJFUC&pg=PA17 ''Bullarii Romani Continuatio''], {{in lang|la}},  Vol. 15, pp. 17-31.</ref> He began by abolishing the ecclesiastical province of Ratisbon, with all the dioceses within it, including Passau, and the Provostship of Berchtesgaden.<ref>"Dei ac Domini," [https://books.google.com/books?id=5DG2dIeHJFUC&pg=PA18, p. 18, § 3]: "...perpetuo extinguimus titulum, denominationem, et naturam, totumque statum praesentem infrascriptarum ecclesiarum archiepiscopalis et episcopalium, una cum earum respectivis capitulis, juribus, privilegiis, indultis, et praerogativis cujuscumque generis, nimirum archiepiscopalis Ratisbonensis, et episcopalium Augustanae, '''Passaviensis''', Bambergensis, Eichstettensis, Herbipolensis, Frisingensis, Spirensis, et Chiemensis, ac uniuscujusque dioecesis, nec non capituli antiquae metropolitanae ecclesiae Moguntinae, nunc Aschaffemburgi residentis, et monasterii sub titulo beatae Mariae virginis, ac invocatione sanctorum Gordiani Epimachi, et Casoli martyrum abbatiae Campidunensis nuncupatae ordinis sancti Benedicti Nullius dioecesis, ac alterius monasterii sancti Ioannis Baptistae, ac sancti Petri apostoìorum principis, praepositurae Berctholgadansis...."</ref> When the diocese was reconstituted, it contained, in addition to the city of Passau, 136 parishes, which are listed in the papal bull.<ref>"Dei ac Domini", [https://books.google.com/books?id=5DG2dIeHJFUC&pg=PA26, p. 26, § 30].</ref> The Chapter of the cathedral of S. Stephen in Passau was to consist of two dignities, the Provost and the Dean, and eight canons, four major and four minor.<ref>"Dei ac Domini", [https://books.google.com/books?id=5DG2dIeHJFUC&pg=PA20, p. 20, § 9-10].</ref> This was a reduction from the 23 canonries which had existed in the 18th century.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 329, note 1.</ref>

Passau was made directly subject to the Holy See until the death of the last prince-archbishop, Leopold von Thun, which took place on 22 October 1826. Thereafter, the diocese became a suffragan of Munich-Freising.<ref>"Dei ac Domini", [https://books.google.com/books?id=5DG2dIeHJFUC&pg=PA22, p. 22], § 25.  {{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11519a.htm|title=Catholic Encyclopedia: Passau|website=newadvent.org}}</ref>

[[Pope Benedict XVI]] was born and baptized on [[Holy Saturday]], 16 April 1927, at [[Marktl am Inn]], which is located within the Diocese of Passau.

==Bishops of Passau==

The [[List of Auxiliary Bishops of Passau|auxiliary bishops of Passau]] are listed and annotated on a separate page.

===To 1200===
{| class="wikitable"
!bgcolor="silver"|No.
!bgcolor="silver" width="18%"|Name
!bgcolor="silver"|from
!bgcolor="silver"|to
!bgcolor="silver"|Comments
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Valentin of Raetia]]
|align="right"|?
|align="right"|475
|&nbsp;
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Vivilo]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 120-128.</ref>
|align="right"|739
|align="right"|745?<ref>Hansiz I, p. 127.</ref>
|Vivilo was consecrated a bishop by [[Pope Gregory III]] (731–741).<ref>Brackmann, p. 160, no. 2.</ref>
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Beatus, Bishop of Passau|Beatus]]
|align="right"|?
|align="right"|753/754
|Beatus is known only from a versified episcopal list.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 128, 130: "Nomine post illum antistes mox rite Beatus." Nothing is known of his tenure as bishop.</ref>
|-
|1
|[[Sidonius, Bishop of Passau|Sidonius]]
|align="right"|753<ref>In 746, Sidonius was still a priest; he was summoned to Rome in 748, to answer charges of unorthodoxy. Hansiz I, pp. 130-135. Brackmann, p. 161, nos. 6, 7.</ref>
|align="right"|756
|Nothing is known of his tenure as bishop. His dates are conjectural.
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Anthelm, Bishop of Passau|Anthelm]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 135-137.</ref>
|align="right"|?
|align="right"|?
|Third<ref>Pez, p. 15: "Antelinus tertius anno Domini DCCLVII Archiepiscopus Laureadcensis, sedit Pataviae annos VIII. Obiit V. Idus Martii." Hansiz, p. 132: length of rule 8, or 9, or 10 years.</ref> or fourth bishop, Anthelmus' name appears in a versified episcopal list.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 135, 128: "Anthelmus quartus, meritis et dogmate clarus.</ref>
|-
|2
|[[Wisurich]]
|align="right"|770
|align="right"|777
|Bishop Wisurich<ref>The "Breve Chronicon," (Pez, p. 6) calls him Viscarius: "Item anno 765. VIscarius Archiepiscopus Laureacensis et Pataviensis sedit annis 9."</ref> witnessed a donation on 26 September 770;<ref>Hansiz I, p. 136.</ref> Wiserichus attended a synod of 6 bishops and 13 abbots at Dingolfing on 14 October 772.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 137.</ref>
|-
|3
|[[Waldrich, Bishop of Passau|Waldrich]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 138-145.</ref>
|align="right"|777
|align="right"|804/805
|[[Pope Leo III|Leo III]] wrote to Waldrich on 20 April 798.<ref>Brackmann, p. 161, nos. 8, 9.</ref> He was present at a synod of bishops at Reisbach on 20 January 799.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 145.</ref>
|-
|4
|[[Urolf]]
|align="right"|804/805
|align="right"|806
|The purported letter of [[Pope Eugenius II]], mentioning Urolfus' pallium and his possession of Pannonia and Moesia, is a forgery of Bishop Pilgrim.<ref>Brackmann, p. 162, no. †10. Hansiz I, pp. 149-150.</ref>
|-
|5
|[[Hatto, Bishop of Passau|Hatto]]
|align="right"|806
|align="right"|817
|&nbsp;
|-
|6
|[[Reginhar, Bishop of Passau|Reginhar]]
|align="right"|818
|align="right"|838
|&nbsp;
|-
|&nbsp;
|''Vacancy''
|align="right"|838
|align="right"|840
|&nbsp;
|-
|7
|[[Hartwig, Bishop of Passau|Hartwig]]
|align="right"|840
|align="right"|866
|&nbsp;
|-
|8
|[[Ermanrich, Bishop of Passau|Ermanrich]]
|align="right"|866
|align="right"|874
|&nbsp;
|-
|9
|[[Engelmar, Bishop of Passau|Engelmar]]
|align="right"|875
|align="right"|897
|&nbsp;
|-
|10
|[[Wiching]]
|align="right"|898
|align="right"|899
|&nbsp;
|-
|11
|[[Richarius, Bishop of Passau|Richarius]]<ref>Richarius: Hansiz I, pp. 173-183.</ref>
|align="right"|899
|align="right"|902
|Richarius, Rihharius,<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 181-182; ''Monumenta Boica'', {{in lang|la}}, Vol. 31, part 1 (München: Acad. Sci. Boica 1836), pp. 162-163, no. LXXX (19 January 901).</ref> Richar. He is said to have presided over the diocese for three years, and died before August 903, when Burkhard was already bishop.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 182-183.</ref>
|-
|12
|[[Burkhard, Bishop of Passau|Burkhard]]
|align="right"|903
|align="right"|915
|&nbsp;
|-
|13
|[[Gumpold, Bishop of Passau|Gumpold]]
|align="right"|915
|align="right"|932
|&nbsp;
|-
|14
|[[Gerhard, Bishop of Passau|Gerhard]]
|align="right"|932
|align="right"|946
|The purported bull of [[Pope Agapetus II]], confirming the ''pallium'' and metropolitan status of Passau, is a forgery.<ref>Brackmann, p. 165, no. †17. Hansiz I, pp. 196-198. Schrödl, p. 75.</ref>
|-
|15
|[[Adalbert, Bishop of Passau|Adalbert]]
|align="right"|946
|align="right"|970/971
|&nbsp;
|-
|16
|[[Piligrim]]<ref>Ernst Ludwig Dümmler, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0B1bAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Piligrim von Passau und das Erzbisthum Lorch,''] {{in lang|de}}, Leipzig: S. Hirzel 1854.</ref>
|align="right"|971
|align="right"|991
|a member of the [[Sieghardinger]] dynasty. Pilgrim was a notorious forger of early documents of Passau.<ref>Brackmann, pp. 160-167, cites: nos. 1, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19. See Roach (2022), 61 ff.</ref>
|-
|17
|[[Christian, Bishop of Passau|Christian]]
|align="right"|991
|align="right"|1013
|First bishop with secular authority
|-
|18
|[[Berengar, Bishop of Passau|Berengar]]
|align="right"|1013
|align="right"|1045
|&nbsp;
|-
|19
|[[Egilbert, Bishop of Passau|Egilbert]]
|align="right"|1045
|align="right"|1065
|Engelbert
|-
|20
|[[Altmann, Bishop of Passau|Altmann]]<ref>"Vita Beati Altmanni Episcopi Pataviensis," in: Pez, Hieronymus (1721). [https://books.google.com/books?id=VnhUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA109 ''Scriptores rerum Austriacarum,'' Tomus 1.]  {{in lang|la}}. Leipzig: Sumptibus Joh. Frid. Gleditschii b. filii, 1721, pp. 109-163. Hansiz, Marcus. ''Germaniae sacræ: Metropolis Lauriacensis cum Episcopatu Pataviensi.'' {{in lang|la}}. [https://books.google.com/books?id=VepTAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA255 Tomus I] (1727). Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg): Happach & Schlüter, pp. 255-284.</ref>
|align="right"|1065
|align="right"|1091
|&nbsp;
|-
|——
|[[Hermann of Eppenstein|''Hermann von Eppenstein'']]
|align="right"|1085
|align="right"|1087
|''Intrusus''. Schismatic counter-bishop of [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor]], brother of Duke [[Liutold of Eppenstein]] of Carinthia. He died in 1087.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 275-276.</ref>

|-
|21
|[[Ulrich I, Bishop of Passau|Ulrich]]
|align="right"|1092
|align="right"|1121
|Ulrich I.
|-
|22
|[[Reginmar]]
|align="right"|1121
|align="right"|1138
|&nbsp;
|-
|23
|[[Reginbert of Hagenau]]
|align="right"|1138
|align="right"|1148<ref>Bishop Reginbert died on 10 November 1148, during his return journey from the Holy Land. Schrödl, p. 143.</ref>
|&nbsp;
|-
|24
|[[Conrad II, Archbishop of Salzburg|Conrad of Babenberg]]
|align="right"|1148/1149
|align="right"|1164
|Son of [[Leopold III, Margrave of Austria]] and [[Agnes von Waiblingen]]; [[Archbishop of Salzburg]] (September 1164–28 September 1168)<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 310-323. Schrödl, pp. 162-167.</ref>
|-
|25
|[[Rupert I, Bishop of Passau|Rupert]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 323-325. Schrödl, pp. 166-168.</ref>
|align="right"|1164
|align="right"|1165
|Rupert supported the schism of [[Antipope Paschal III]]. He was dead by November 1165.<ref>Schrödl, p. 168.</ref>
|-
|&nbsp;
|[[Albo von Passau|Albo]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 325-326.</ref>
|align="right"|1165
|align="right"|1168
|Elected on 11 November 1165. Expelled from Passau in 1168 for supporting the pope against the emperor, he was replaced by Albert, the son of the King of Bohemia.<ref>Albert was elected archbishop of Salzburg, and consecrated on 1 November 1168: Hansiz I, p. 326</ref>
|-
|&nbsp; 
|[[Henry of Berg, Bishop of Würzburg|Henry of Berg]]
|align="right"|1169
|align="right"|1172
|resigned, later [[Bishop of Würzburg]] from 1191 until his death in 1197
|-
|26
|[[Diepold of Berg]]
|align="right"|1172
|align="right"|1190
|(Theobald). With permission of [[Pope Alexander III]], Dietpold was consecrated on 23 September 1172 in Passau.<ref>The consecrators were Adalbert of Freising, Chunon of Ratisbon, and Heinrich of Brixen. Brackmann, p. 172, no. 51.</ref> He died in Antioch, after the interment of [[Frederick Barbarossa]], on 3 November 1190.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 336.</ref>
|-
|27
|[[Wolfger of Erla]]<ref>Wolfker of Ellenbrechtskirchen. Hansiz I, pp. 337-349. Schrödl, pp. 173-177.</ref>
|align="right"|1191<ref>Hansiz (I, p. 337) quotes a document subscribed by Bishop Wolfger in his first year in office, in the IX Indiction, which began on 25 September 1191; and another dated 1192 in Indiction X and Wolfger's second year. Wolfger obtained his temporalities from King Henry VI, who succeeded after the death of [[Frederick Barbarossa]] on 10 June 1190.</ref>
|align="right"|1204
|Wolfger was appointed [[Patriarch of Aquileia]] by [[Pope Innocent III]] on 24 June 1204.<ref>Eubel I, p. 99. Hansiz I, p. 349.</ref>
|}

===From 1200 to 1500===
{| class="wikitable"
!bgcolor="silver" width="1%"|No.
!bgcolor="silver" width="23%"|Name
!bgcolor="silver"|from
!bgcolor="silver"|to
!bgcolor="silver"|Comments
|-

|-
|28
|[[Poppo, Bishop of Passau|Poppo]]
|align="right"|1204
|align="right"|1205
|Cathedral provost of [[Aquileia]]. Poppo succeeded Wolfker, who was transferred to Aquileia by [[Pope Innocent III]] on 24 June 1204; he served from 15 October 1204, and died on 26 December 1205.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 350. Eubel I, pp. 99, 392.</ref>
|-
|29
|[[Manegold of Berg]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 350-360.</ref>
|align="right"|1206
|align="right"|1215
|M. died on 9 June 1215.<ref>Eubel I, p. 392.</ref>
|-
|30
|[[Ulrich II, Bishop of Passau|Ulrich]]
|align="right"|1215
|align="right"|1221
|&nbsp;
|-

|31
|[[Gebhard I of Plain|Gebhard von Plain]]
|align="right"|1222
|align="right"|1232
|&nbsp;
|-
|32
|[[Rüdiger of Bergheim]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 375-387. Eubel I, p. 392, with note 3.</ref>
|align="right"|1233
|align="right"|1250
|[[Bishopric of Chiemsee|Bishop of Chiemsee]] 1216–1233; excommunicated and deposed by [[Pope Innocent IV]] in 1250.
|-
|—
|[[Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau|Konrad]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 387-388.</ref>
|align="right"|1248
|align="right"|1249
|Uncanonically elected in summer 1248, but never confirmed by pope.<ref>Anton Kerschbaumer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MpMJAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA210 ''Geschichte des Bisthums St. Pölten: Bd. Vorgeschichte''], {{in lang|de}}, (Braumüller, 1875), p. 210.</ref> Called himself ''Electus Pataviensis'' in 1249.<ref>Schrödl, p. 196. C.J. Erben, ''Regesta diplomatica nec non epistolaria Bohemiae et Moraviae'', {{in lang|la}}, (Prague: T. Haase 1855), p. 577.</ref>
|-
|34
|[[Berthold of Pietengau]]
|align="right"|1250
|align="right"|1254
|B. was appointed by the papal legate, Cardinal Petrus de Collemedio, Bishop of Albano, and approved by [[Pope Innocent IV]] on 1 October 1250.<ref>Élie Berger, ''Les Registres d'Innocent IV'', {{in lang|la}}, Vol. 2 (Paris: Thorin 1887), p. 147, no.4849.</ref>
|-
|35
|[[Otto of Lonsdorf]]
|align="right"|1254<ref>Otto was elected on 22 February 1254, and confirmed by Archbishop Philip of Salzburg on 16 March. Ulrich Schmid, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0H5BAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Otto von Lonsdorf, bischof zu Passau 1254-1265''], {{in lang|de}}, Buchdruckerei von P. Scheiner, 1902, p. 8.</ref>
|align="right"|1265
|Otto died on 9 April 1265.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 405.</ref>
|-
|36
|[[Ladislaus of Salzburg|Wladislaw of Silesia]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 405-406.</ref>
|align="right"|1265
|align="right"|1265
|Previously Provost of [[Vyšehrad]] and a papal chaplain, Ladislaus (Wlodislaus) was elected bishop of Passau on 2 May 1265.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 405.</ref> He was appointed archbishop of Salzburg by [[Pope Clement IV]] on 10 November 1265, despite problems with his holy orders and age. Ladislaus' replacement in Passau was appointed on 24 November 1265. Archbishop Ladislaus died on 27 April 1270.<ref>Eubel I, p. 392, 432. Édouard Jordan, ''Les registres de Clément IV'', {{in lang|la}}, Vol 1 (Paris: Thorin 1893), p. 43, no. 173.</ref>
|-
|37
|[[Petrus, Bishop of Passau|Petrus]]
|align="right"|1265
|align="right"|1280
|[[Canon (priest)|Canon]] of [[Breslau]]
|-
|38
|[[Wichard of Pohlheim]]
|align="right"|1280
|align="right"|1282
|&nbsp;
|-
|39
|[[Gottfried, Bishop of Passau|Gottfried]]
|align="right"|1282
|align="right"|1285
|Gottfried of Westphalia was a [[Protonotary]] and Chancellor<ref>Pez, p. 18.</ref> of [[Rudolph I of Germany]], [[German king]]
|-
|40
|[[Bernhard of Prambach]]
|align="right"|1285
|align="right"|1313
|&nbsp;
|-
| colspan="2" |''Vacancy&nbsp;due&nbsp;to&nbsp;disputed&nbsp;election''
|align="right"|1313
|align="right"|1317
|&nbsp;
|- style="font-style: italic;"
|&nbsp;
|[[Albert II, Duke of Austria]]
|align="right"|1313
|align="right"|1313
|Canon of Passau
|- style="font-style: italic;"
|&nbsp;
|Gebhard Walso
|align="right"|1313
|align="right"|1315
|Canon of Passau
|-
|41
|[[Henri de la Tour-du-Pin]]<ref>Son of [[Humbert I of Viennois]], Henri hoped to become Dauphin himself, and thus did not take holy orders. Martin Meurisse, [https://books.google.com/books?id=GWVQAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA 493 ''Histoire des Evesques de l'Eglise de Metz,''] {{in lang|fr}},  Jean Anthoine, 1634), pp. 492-498.</ref>
|align="right"|1317
|align="right"|1319
|Bishop-elect only, never ordained or consecrated.<ref>Meurisse, p. 493. He was named bishop of Metz by [[Pope John XXII]] on 4 May 1319: Eubel I, p. 338.</ref> 
|-
|42
|[[Albert II of Saxe-Wittenberg]]
|align="right"|1320
|align="right"|1342
|&nbsp;
|-
|43
|[[Gottfried of Weißeneck]]
|align="right"|1342<ref>He was consecrated in June 1342, but did not pay his fees to the Apostolic Camera until 26 January 1344. Hansiz I, p. 462. Eubel I, p. 393. He issued a bull in favor of S. Pölten on 1 September 1342.</ref>
|align="right"|1362
|Gottfried was the brother of Ordulf of Wiesseneck (1343–1365).<ref>Pez, p. 18.</ref> He had been Provost of Passau.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 462.</ref>
|-
|44 
|[[Albert von Winkel]]<ref>Schrödl, pp. 254-260.</ref>
|align="right"|1363
|align="right"|1380
|Albert had been Dean, then Provost, of the cathedral Chapter.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 469. Eubel I, p. 393.</ref>
|-
|45
|[[Johann of Scharffenberg]]<ref>Schrödl, pp. 277-278. Hansiz I, pp. 480-484</ref>
|align="right"|1381
|align="right"|1387
|Joannes had been Provost of the cathedral Chapter of Passau, since 1374 or 1376. He died on 3 February 1387.<ref>Hansiz, pp. 480, 484.</ref>

|-
|46
|[[Hermann Digni]]
|align="right"|1387
|align="right"|1388
|Hermann had been Dean of the cathedral Chapter. He was elected bishop, but rejected by [[Pope Urban VI]]. ''Hermannus Electus et Decanus'' and the Chapter nonetheless renewed the covenant between the diocese and the archdukes of Austria on 13 October 1387. On 31 August 1388, as bishop-elect and Dean, he approved the election of the Provost of St. Pölten.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 484-485.  Schrödl, pp. 278-279.</ref>
|-
|47
|[[Rupert of Jülich-Berg]]<br />(de Monte)<ref>Rupert was the son of Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Berg. He was appointed bishop by [[Pope Urban VI]] on 11 May 1387, against the wishes of the Chapter of Passau and the [[Albert III, Duke of Austria|Archduke Albert]]. Hansiz I, p. 484. Eubel I, p. 393 with note 12.</ref>
|align="right"|1388
|align="right"|1390
|On 13 March 1389, Rupert was transferred to the [[Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn|diocese of Paderborn]] by [[Pope Urban VI]], who died on 15 October 1389.<ref>The bulls, which had not yet been sent when Urban VI died, were dispatched on 9 November 1390 by [[Pope Boniface IX]]. Eubel I, p. 385 with note 4.</ref>
|-
|48
|[[George von Hohenlohe]]
|align="right"|1390
|align="right"|1423
|George was named ''Apostolic Administrator'' of Strigonia (Esztergom) on 22 December 1418, by [[Pope Martin V]].<ref>Eubel I, p. 465 with note 12. Pope Martin had wanted him to be archbishop, but George refused the appointment.</ref> He died on 8 August 1423.<ref>Eubel I, p. 393.</ref>
|-
|49
|[[Leonhard of Laiming]]
|align="right"|1423/1424
|align="right"|1451
|&nbsp;
|-
|50
|[[Ulrich of Nußdorf]]
|align="right"|1451
|align="right"|1479<ref>Bishop Udalricus died on 2 September 1479 (Eubel II, p. 213), ''not'' 1480 (Pez, p. 18).</ref>
|&nbsp;
|-
|51
|[[George Hessler]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 574-585.</ref>
|align="right"|1480
|align="right"|1482
|Hessler, a [[protonotary apostolic]] and imperial counsellor, was named a [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] by [[Pope Paul II]] on 10 December 1477.<ref>He died on 21 September 1482. Eubel II, p. 18, no. 18, with note 4.</ref>
|-
|52
|[[Friedrich Mauerkircher]]
|align="right"|1482
|align="right"|1485
|Friedrich was canonically elected by the Chapter of Passau in September 1479, but was not able to take his seat due to the intrusion of Cardinal Hessler. After the cardinal's death, [[Pope Sixtus IV]] reappointed him.<ref>Eubel II, p. 213. Pez, p. 19.</ref> He was not regularly in Passau, due to his office of Chancellor of the duke of Bavaria.<ref>Schöller, p. 166. He died on 22 November 1485: Eubel II, p. 213.</ref>
|-
|53
|[[Frederick of Öttingen]]
|align="right"|1485
|align="right"|1490
|Elected on 2 December 1485; confirmed by [[Pope Innocent VIII]] on 15 February 1486. He died on 3 March 1490, not having received the regalia from the emperor, and never having been consecrated a bishop.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 593-594. Eubel II, p. 213.</ref>
|-
|54
|[[Christopher of Schachner]]
|align="right"|1490
|align="right"|1500
|&nbsp;
|-
|}

===From 1500 to 1826===
{| class="wikitable"
!bgcolor="silver" width="1%"|No.
!bgcolor="silver" width="23%"|Name 
!bgcolor="silver"|from
!bgcolor="silver"|to
!bgcolor="silver"|Comments
|-

|56
|[[Wiguleus Fröschl of Marzoll]]
|align="right"|1500
|align="right"|1516
|&nbsp;
|-
|57
|[[Ernest of Bavaria (1500–1560)|Ernest of Bavaria]]
|align="right"|1516
|align="right"|1541
|Coadjutor of Bishop Fröschl, who died on 6 November 1516. Bishop-elect, but never consecrated. Administrator only.<ref>Eubel II, p. 271 with note 3. Ernest was granted extensions to the 6 month limit for his consecration in 1532, 1538, 1539, 1540, and 15 May 1541.</ref>
|-
|57
|[[Wolfgang von Salm]]<ref>Robert Reichenberger, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RhYUAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA2 ''Wolfgang von Salm, Bischof von Passau (1540- 1555). Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des 16. Jahrhunderts''], {{in lang|de}}, (Freiburg 1902).</ref>
|align="right"|1541
|align="right"|1555
|Provost of cathedral Chapter.<ref>Provost since at least 1534: Reichenberger, p. 4.</ref> Elected by the Chapter on 11 November 1540, approved by [[Pope Paul III]] on 18 February 1541. Died 5 December 1555.<ref>Eubel III, p. 271 with note 5. Reichenberger, p. 81.</ref>
|-
|58
|[[Wolfgang von Closen]]
|align="right"|1555
|align="right"|1561
|Wolfgang had been Provost of the cathedral of Passau. He was elected by the cathedral Chapter on 20 December 1555,<ref>Hansiz I, p. 625.</ref> and approved by [[Pope Paul IV]] on 12 June 1556. He died on 7 August 1561.<ref>Eubel III, p. 271.</ref>
|-
|59
|[[Urban von Trennbach]]
|align="right"|1561
|align="right"|1598
|Issued "Statuta Capitulis" on 15 August 1594.<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 643-666.</ref>
|-
|60
|[[Leopold V, Archduke of Austria|Leopold Ferdinand of&nbsp;Austria]]
|align="right"|1598
|align="right"|1625
|Named coadjutor-bishop of Bishop Urban in 1598, aged 12.<ref>Hansiz I, p. 666.</ref> Bishop Urban died on 9 August, but Leopold not allowed administratorship until 1 December 1604. Resigned, to marry, in November or December 1625. He was never consecrated, and was thus bishop-elect.<ref>He died on 3 September 1632, age 45. Gauchet, ''Hierarchia catholica'' IV, p. 275 with note 2.</ref>
|-
|61
|[[Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria|Leopold Wilhelm of&nbsp;Austria]]<ref>Hansiz I, pp. 702-752. Gauchat, ''Hierarchia catholica'' IV, p. 275 with note 3.</ref>
|align="right"|1625
|align="right"|1662
|Elected coadjutor of Passau on 8 November 1625, with the consent of Bishop Leopold Ferdinand and the approbation of [[Pope Urban VIII]]. Never ordained or consecrated, thus bishop-elect.<ref>Gauchat IV, p. 275 with note 3.</ref>
|-
|62
|[[Archduke Charles Joseph of Austria|Charles Joseph of&nbsp;Austria]]
|align="right"|1662
|align="right"|1664
|&nbsp;
|-
|63
|[[Wenzeslaus of Thun|Wenzeslaus von Thun]]
|align="right"|1664
|align="right"|1673
|&nbsp;
|-
|64
|[[Sebastian von Pötting]]
|align="right"|1673
|align="right"|1689
|&nbsp;
|-
|65
|[[John Philip of Lamberg|Johann Philipp von Lamberg]]
|align="right"|1689
|align="right"|1712
|Named a cardinal by [[Pope Innocent XII]] on 21 June 1700. He died on 20 October 1712.<ref>Lamberg: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 22</ref>
|-
|67, no. 29.
|[[Raymund Ferdinand, Count of Rabatta]]
|align="right"|1713
|align="right"|1722
|&nbsp;
|-
|68
|[[Joseph Dominicus von Lamberg]]<ref>Rudolf Weiss, ''Das Bistum Passau unter Kardinal Joseph Dominikus von Lamberg (1723-1761): zugleich ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Kryptoprotestantismus in Oberösterreich,'' {{in lang|de}}, Sankt Ottilien: EOS Verlag, 1979.</ref>
|align="right"|1723
|align="right"|1761
|Named a cardinal by [[Pope Clement XII]] on 20 December 1737. He died on 30 August 1761.<ref>Lamberg: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 8, no. 24</ref>
|-
|69
|[[Joseph Maria von Thun]]
|align="right"|1761
|align="right"|1763
|[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Gurk|Bishop of Gurk]] (1741–1762)<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, pp. 232; 329 with note 2.</ref> Elected by the Chapter of Passau on 19 November 1761, and approved by [[Pope Clement XIII]] on 29 March 1762. He died on 15 June 1763.<ref>Schrödl, p. 379-380. Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 329 with note 2.</ref>
|-
|70
|[[Leopold Ernst von Firmian]]
|align="right"|1763
|align="right"|1783
|Named a cardinal by [[Pope Clement XIV]] on 14 December 1772. He died on 13 March 1783.<ref>Firmian: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 27, no. 7.</ref>
|-
|71
|[[Joseph Francis Anton of Auersperg|Joseph Francis von Auersperg]]<ref>Schrödl, pp. 384-387.</ref>
|align="right"|1783
|align="right"|1795
|Named a cardinal by [[Pope Pius VI]] on 30 March 1789. He died on 21 August 1795.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 36, no. 57.</ref>
|-
|72
|[[Thomas Johann Kaspar von Thun und Hohenstein]]
|align="right"|1795
|align="right"|1796
|Titular Bishop of Thyateira and suffragan bishop of Passau (1776–1795), Dean and Canon of Passau with prebend. Elected bishop of Passau by the Chapter on 4 November 1795, confirmed by [[Pope Pius VI]] on 18 December 1795, died on 7 October 1796.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, pp. 330 with note 5; 406 with note 3.</ref>
|-
|73
|[[Leopold Leonard, Count of Thun|Leopold Leonhard von Thun und Hohenstein]]<ref>Schrödl, pp. 387-390.</ref>
|align="right"|13&nbsp;Dec 1796
|align="right"|22&nbsp;Oct 1826
|Canon domicellaris, then Canon capitularis of Passau. Elected by the Chapter on 13 December 1796, confirmed by [[Pope Pius VI]] on 24 July 1797, consecrated bishop in Passau on 29 August 1797 by Bishop Joseph von Arco of Seckau.<ref>Ritzler & Sefrin VI, pp. 330 with note 6.</ref><br /> Last Prince-Bishop.
|-
|}

===Since 1826===
{| class="wikitable" width="98%"
!bgcolor="silver" width="1%"|No.
!bgcolor="silver" width="29%"|Name
!bgcolor="silver"width="12%"|from
!bgcolor="silver"width="12%"|to
!bgcolor="silver"|Comments
|-

|74
|[[Karl Joseph, Baron of Riccabona]]
|align="right"|25 Dec 1826
|align="right"|25 May 1839
|&nbsp;
|-
|75
|[[Heinrich of Hofstätter]]<ref>Jakob Leitner, [https://books.google.com/books?id=wZJRAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Heinrich, Bischof von Passau und sein Wirken: zu dessen fünfundzwanzigjährigem Jubiläum am 24. Februar 1865,''] {{in lang|de}}, Passau: J. Bucher, 1865.</ref>
|align="right"|6 Jul 1839
|align="right"|12 May 1875
|&nbsp;
|-
|76
|[[Joseph Francis of Weckert|Joseph Francis Weckert]]
|align="right"|4 Oct 1875
|align="right"|13 Mar 1889
|&nbsp;
|-
|77
|[[Antonius von Thoma]]
|align="right"|24 Mar 1889
|align="right"|23 Oct 1889
|&nbsp;
|-
|78
|Michael von Rampf
|align="right"|8 Dec 1889
|align="right"|29 Mar 1901
|&nbsp;
|-
|79
|Anton von Henle
|align="right"|3 Apr 1901
|align="right"|18 Oct 1906
|&nbsp;
|-
|80
|[[Sigismund Felix Freiherr von Ow-Felldorf|Sigismund Felix, Baron of Ow-Felldorf]]
|align="right"|18 Oct 1906
|align="right"|11 May 1936
|&nbsp;
|-
|81
|[[Simon Konrad Landersdorfer]], [[Order of Saint Benedict|OSB]]
|align="right"|11 Sep 1936
|align="right"|27 Oct 1968
|&nbsp;
|-
|82
|[[Antonius Hofmann]]
|align="right"|27 Oct 1968
|align="right"|15 Oct 1984
|&nbsp;
|-
|83
|[[Franz Xaver Eder]]
|align="right"|15 Oct 1984
|align="right"|8 Jan 2001
|&nbsp;
|-
|84
|[[Wilhelm Schraml]]
|align="right"|13 Dec 2001
|align="right"|1 Oct 2012 
|&nbsp;
|-
|85
|[[Stefan Oster]]<ref>Bistum Passau, [https://www.bistum-passau.de/bistum-pfarreien/bischof-stefan-oster/lebenslauf "Lebenslauf von Bischof Stefan;"] retrieved: 30 October 2023.</ref>
|align="right"|24 May 2014
|align="right"|Incumbent 
|&nbsp;
|}

==See also==
*[[List of auxiliary bishops of Passau]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
===Reference works for bishops===
*{{cite book|last=Gams|first=Pius Bonifatius |title=Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=os9DAQAAMAAJ|year=1873|publisher=Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz|location=Ratisbon|language=la}} pp.&nbsp;300–302.
*{{cite book|editor-last1=Eubel|editor-first1=Conradus |title=Hierarchia catholica|volume= 1 (Tomus I)|date=1913|publisher=Libreria Regensbergiana|location=Münster|edition=second|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yj2ORd5h_CsC&pg=PA392|language=la}}. [https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol01eubeuoft Archived]
*{{cite book|editor-last1=Eubel|editor-first1=Conradus |title=Hierarchia catholica|volume=2 (Tomus II)|date=1914|publisher=Libreria Regensbergiana|location=Münster|edition=second|language=la|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYW76iTwFcMC&pg=PA247}} [https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol02eubeuoft Archived] 
*{{cite book|editor-last1=Eubel|editor-first1=Conradus |editor-last2=Gulik|editor-first2=Guilelmus|title=Hierarchia catholica|volume=3 (Tomus III)|date=1923|publisher=Libreria Regensbergiana|language=la|location=Münster|edition=second|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DzPnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA290}}. [https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol02eubeuoft Archived]. 
*{{cite book|last1=Gauchat|first1=Patritius (Patrice)|title=Hierarchia catholica|volume= 4 (Tomus IV) (1592–1667)|date=1935|publisher=Libraria Regensbergiana|location=Münster|url=https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol04eubeuoft|access-date=2016-07-06}} 
*{{cite book|last1=Ritzler|first1=Remigius|last2=Sefrin|first2=Pirminus|title=Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi|volume= 5 (Tomus V) (1667–1730)|date=1952|publisher=Messagero di S. Antonio|location=Patavii|url=https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol05eubeuoft|access-date=2016-07-06}}
*{{cite book|last1=Ritzler|first1=Remigius|last2=Sefrin|first2=Pirminus|title=Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi|volume= 6 (Tomus VI) (1730–1799)|date=1958|publisher=Messagero di S. Antonio|location=Patavii|url=https://archive.org/details/hierarchiacathol06eubeuoft|access-date=2016-07-06}}
*{{cite book|last1=Ritzler|first1=Remigius|last2=Sefrin|first2=Pirminus|title=Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pgyItwAACAAJ|volume=VII (1800–1846)|year=1968|publisher=Libreria Regensburgiana|location=Monasterii|language=la}}
*{{cite book|author1=Remigius Ritzler|author2=Pirminus Sefrin|title=Hierarchia catholica Medii et recentioris aevi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5oXUjwEACAAJ|year=1978|volume=VIII (1846–1903)|publisher=Il Messaggero di S. Antonio|language=la}}
*{{cite book|last= Pięta|first=Zenon|title=Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QXuJQwAACAAJ|volume=IX (1903–1922)|year=2002|publisher=Messagero di San Antonio|location=Padua|language=la|isbn=978-88-250-1000-8}}

===Studies===
* Brackmann, Albertus (ed.). [https://books.google.com/books?id=5QoNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA154 ''Germania pontificia, Vol. 1, Pars I: Provincia Salisburgensis et episcopatus Tridentinus''.] {{in lang|la}}. Berlin: Weidmann 1910. [Passau:  pp.&nbsp;157–257].
*Erhard, Alexander (1864). [https://books.google.com/books?id=owUov99K4BMC&pg=PA1 ''Geschichte der Stadt Passau'']. Volume 1 Passau: F. W. Keppler, 1864.
* Hansiz, Marcus. ''Germaniae sacræ: Metropolis Lauriacensis cum Episcopatu Pataviensi.'' {{in lang|la}}. [https://books.google.com/books?id=VepTAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA115 Tomus I] (1727). Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg): Happach & Schlüter.
*Higby, Chester P. (1918). [https://books.google.com/books?id=tRJYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA320 ''The Religious Policy of the Bavarian Government During the Napoleonic Period.''] New York: Columbia University Press, 1918. 
*Kappel, Johann Evangelist (1912). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Z40gAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Der Dom des hl. Stephan zu Passau in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart.''] {{in lang|de}}. Regensburg: Manz, 1912.
*Leidl, August (1993). ''Das Bistum Passau zwischen Wiener Konkordat (1448) und Gegenwart: Kurzporträts der Passauer Bischöfe, Weihbischöfe, Offiziale (Generalvikare) dieser Epoche.'' {{in lang|de}}. Passau: Passavia Universitätsverlag und -druck, 1993.
*Meindl, Konrad (1875). [https://books.google.com/books?id=aszQ8v1eUCIC&pg=PA1 ''Geschichte der ehemals hochfürstlich-passauischen freien Reichsherrschaft des Marktes und der Pfarre Obernberg am In.''] Vol. 1. {{in lang|de}}. Linz: Katholische Pressverein 1875.
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=8TdKAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Monumenta Boica: Codices Traditionum Ecclesiae Pataviensis, olim Laureacenses.''] {{in lang|de|la}}. Vol. 28, 2. München: Typis Academicis, 1830.
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=575GAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1 ''Monumenta Boica: Authentica episcopatus Pataviensis''] {{in lang|de|la}}. Vol. 31, 2. München: Typis Academicis, 1837. 
*Pez, Hieronymus (1721). [https://books.google.com/books?id=VnhUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3 ''Scriptores rerum Austriacarum,'' Tomus 1.]  {{in lang|la}}. Leipzig: Sumptibus Joh. Frid. Gleditschii b. filii, 1721. [ "Breve Chronicon Laureacensium et Pataviensium Archiepiscoporum et Episcoporum", pp.&nbsp;3–8; "Anonymi Poetae Vetustissimi Versus", pp.&nbsp;7–10; "Alius Recentior Catalogus", pp.&nbsp;15–20.]
*Roach, Levi (2022). [https://books.google.com/books?id=BWhnEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA61 "Forging Episcopal Identity: Pilgrim at Passau"], in: ''Forgery and Memory at the End of the First Millennium.'' Princeton University Press, 2022, pp.&nbsp;61–112.
*Rotermundt, Joseph ALois (1833). [https://books.google.com/books?id=jHg6cFObHfwC&pg=PA1 ''Geschichte der Begründung des Klerikal-Seminars in Passau.''] {{in lang|de}}. Passau: Ambrosi, 1833. 
*Schöller, Joseph (1844). [https://books.google.com/books?id=ebtBAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA15 ''Die Bischöfe von Passau und ihre Zeitereignisse.'']  {{in lang|de}}. Pustet, 1844 
*Schrödl, Karl (1879). [https://books.google.com/books?id=9bLr0LsIlVwC&pg=PA1 ''Passavia sacra: Geschichte des Bisthums Passau bis zur Säkularisation des Fürstenthums Passau.''] {{in lang|de}} Hauptband. 1. Passau: Waldbauer 1879.
*Wurster, Herbert W. (1994). ''Das Bistum Passau und seine Geschichte: Von den Anfängen bis zur Jahrtausendwende.'' {{in lang|de}}. Eckbolsheim: Editions du Signe, 1994.
*Zurstrassen, Annette (1989). ''Die Passauer Bischöfe des 12. Jahrhunderts: Studien zur ihrer Klosterpolitik und zur Administration des Bistums : Vorarbeiten zu den Regesten der Passauer Bischöfe.'' {{in lang|de}}. Bern: Wiss.-Verlag Rothe, 1989.

===External links===
{{commons}}
::Lins, Joseph (1911). [https://books.google.com/books?id=0%20Pap29EbywC&pg=PA519 "Passau, diocese of."]  In: ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Ed. Charles Hebermann. Volume 11 New York: Appleton, 1911, PP. 519-521.

{{Hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Germany}}
{{Roman Catholic dioceses in Germany|state=collapsed}}
{{Bavarian Circle}}
{{Authority control}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Passau, Diocese}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Germany]]
[[Category:Bavarian Circle]]
[[Category:Passau]]
[[Category:Prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire in Germany]]
[[Category:Prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire in Austria]]