Sarah Mitchell
Africa is rapidly becoming the centre of gravity of global Catholicism. While the exact number of Catholic bishops on the continent is unclear, there are hundreds of dioceses in Africa, with 389 in Roman Catholic Bishops in Africa alone. There are also 42 subcategories of Bishops in Africa who serve or have served on the continent. The Catholic Church in Africa is growing, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Angola being among the most Catholic countries on the continent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of voting cardinals | Not specified; fewer than Europe's 3.4 times as many |
| Catholic mass attendance | 94% of Catholics in Nigeria attend Mass at least once a week; 73% of Catholics in Kenya do the same |
| Catholic population | The Democratic Republic of Congo is the fourth largest country in Africa in terms of population and is 55% Catholic; Nigeria is among the top 15 countries by Catholic population, with 15% of its population being Catholic |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic population in Africa
The Catholic Church in Africa is part of the worldwide Catholic Church and is in full communion with the Holy See in Rome. Christian activity in Africa began in the 1st century when the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Egypt was formed as one of the four original Patriarchs of the East. However, the Islamic conquest in the 7th century resulted in a harsh decline for Christianity in Northern Africa.
In modern times, the presence of the Catholic Church has grown in Africa. Catholic Church membership rose from 2 million in 1900 to 140 million in 2000. In 2005, the Catholic Church in Africa, including Eastern Catholic Churches, embraced approximately 135 million of the 809 million people in Africa. In 2009, when Pope Benedict XVI visited Africa, it was estimated at 158 million. By 2021, the number had risen to 281 million, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya registering significant figures. By 2025, one-sixth of the world's Catholics (230 million) are expected to be Africans.
Africa has a far higher rate of Mass attendance in countries with large Catholic populations. Nigeria, Kenya, and Lebanon have the highest proportion of Catholics who attend Mass weekly or more, with Nigeria as the clear leader with 94% of Catholics reporting they attend Mass at least weekly. In Kenya, the figure was 73%, and in Lebanon, it was 69%.
The world's largest seminary is in Nigeria, which shares a border with Cameroon in western Africa, and Africa produces a large percentage of the world's priests. As of 26 June 2020, there were 29 Cardinals from Africa, out of 222, and 400,000 catechists. Many important members of the early Church were from Africa, including Mark the Evangelist, Origen, Tertullian, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Clement of Alexandria.
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Catholic bishops in Angola
There are several Catholic bishops in Angola, each serving a specific diocese or region within the country. Here is a list of some of the Catholic bishops in Angola:
Bishop Firmino David
Bishop Firmino David serves as the Bishop of Sumbe, a diocese in Angola. He is responsible for the pastoral care and spiritual leadership of the Catholic community in Sumbe, providing guidance and overseeing the religious practices within his diocese.
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias is the Archbishop of Luanda, the capital city of Angola. As an archbishop, he holds a position of higher honour and authority than a bishop. He oversees the Catholic community in Luanda and provides leadership and guidance to both the clergy and laity within his archdiocese.
Archbishop Giovanni Gaspari
Archbishop Giovanni Gaspari serves as the Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, representing the Pope and acting as a diplomatic envoy of the Holy See to the Catholic Church in Korea. As a nuncio, he holds a unique position that combines both diplomatic and ecclesiastical responsibilities.
Bishop Pio Hipunyati
Bishop Pio Hipunyati is the Bishop of Ondjiva, a diocese in Angola. He is dedicated to serving the spiritual needs of the Catholic faithful in his diocese, providing pastoral care, administering sacraments, and overseeing the religious life of his community.
Bishop Almeida Kanda (Canda)
Bishop Almeida Kanda, sometimes referred to as Bishop Canda, is the Bishop of Ndalatando, another diocese in Angola. He is responsible for leading and guiding the Catholic community in Ndalatando, ensuring the spiritual growth and well-being of those under his pastoral care.
Archbishop Luzizila Kiala
Archbishop Luzizila Kiala serves as the Archbishop of Malanje, overseeing the archdiocese of Malanje and providing spiritual leadership to the Catholic population in that region. As an archbishop, he may also have additional administrative or supervisory responsibilities over neighbouring dioceses.
These are just a few examples of the Catholic bishops serving in Angola. Each bishop is dedicated to their respective diocese, providing spiritual guidance, pastoral care, and leadership to the Catholic communities within their regions. They play a crucial role in the religious life of Angola, tending to the spiritual needs of their flocks and upholding the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church.
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Catholic bishops in Botswana
There are 61 Catholic bishops in Africa, though it is unclear how many are based in each country. Catholic bishops in Botswana are members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC). This group also includes religious leaders serving in South Africa and Eswatini. Together, they have released statements on various topics, including the passing of Pope Francis, the appointment of Archbishop Henryk, and election "disgruntlement" in Mozambique.
The Catholic Church in Botswana is divided into two dioceses: the Diocese of Gaborone and the Diocese of Francistown. Each diocese is led by a bishop, who is responsible for overseeing the Catholic Church's activities and ministries in their respective diocese.
The Diocese of Gaborone was established in 1981 and is headquartered in the capital city of Gaborone. The current bishop of this diocese is Bishop Franklyn Nubuasah, who was appointed in 2022. He is the third bishop to lead the diocese, following in the footsteps of Bishop Boniface Tshosa Setlalekgosi and Bishop Valentine Tsamma Seane.
The Diocese of Francistown was established in 1998 and covers the northern part of Botswana. The current bishop of this diocese is Bishop Anthony Pascal Rebello, who was appointed in 2021. He is the second bishop of the diocese, after Bishop Valentine Tsamma Seane, who served from 1998 to 2009.
The Catholic bishops in Botswana play a significant role in the country's religious landscape. They are responsible for overseeing the spiritual needs of the Catholic community, as well as providing social services and contributing to interfaith dialogue and social justice initiatives. They work closely with other religious leaders in the country and are actively involved in the community, offering support and guidance to their parishioners.
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Catholic bishops in Egypt
The Catholic Church in Egypt is relatively small compared to the rest of the Christian population in the country, which is a significant minority among the predominantly Sunni Muslim population. The Catholic population in Egypt is said to have begun during the British colonial period, although many Catholics emigrated following the 1952 Revolution. Today, the Catholic population in Egypt numbers less than 200,000, making up less than 1% of the total Egyptian population of approximately 100 million.
Catholics in Egypt belong to seven distinct ritual Particular Churches sui iuris, the largest being the Coptic Catholic Church, led by the Patriarch of Alexandria. The Coptic Catholic Church has cathedrals in several Egyptian cities, including Cairo, Giza, Luxor, and Assiut. Other Catholic churches in Egypt include the Maronite Catholic Church, the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Iskanderiya, the Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Cairo, and the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Cairo.
There have been numerous Catholic bishops in Egypt throughout history, serving in various dioceses and episcopal sees across the country. Here is a list of some notable Catholic bishops in Egypt, both current and historical:
- Bishop Georges Chihane, Bishop of Le Caire (Cairo) in the Maronite Catholic Church
- Bishop Jean-Marie Chami, Patriarchal Vicar of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- Archbishop Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin, Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt
- Bishop Raphaël Bayan, Bishop Emeritus of Parakou, Benin
- Bishop Ephrem Elie Joseph Warde, Bishop of Le Caire (Cairo) in the Syrian Catholic Church
- Bishop Kyrillos Kamal William Samaan, Bishop Emeritus of Assiut (Lycopolis) in the Coptic Catholic Church
- Bishop Basilios Fawzy Al-Dabe, Bishop of Minya (Ermopoli Maggiore; Minieh) in the Coptic Catholic Church
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Catholic bishops in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Catholic Church is headed by Berhaneyesus Demerew Cardinal Souraphiel, CM, who has served as Archbishop of Addis Abeba since 1999. He is also the chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia and Eritrea. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015, becoming the second Ethiopian cardinal in history.
Cardinal Souraphiel was born on 14 July 1948 in Tchela Claka, near Harar in Ethiopia. He attended schools run by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, as well as those run by the Capuchins and the De La Salle Brothers. He studied theology at King's College London and was ordained a Catholic priest on 4 July 1976. He fulfilled parish assignments in southwestern Ethiopia until he was jailed by the country's military dictatorship from June 1979 to January 1980. After his release, he remained in Ethiopia until he was exiled in 1983. During his exile, he earned a degree in sociology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
Cardinal Souraphiel returned to Ethiopia in 1983 and became provincial superior of the Lazarists in Addis Ababa in 1990. He served in this role until 1994, when he was appointed prefect of the newly established Apostolic Vicariate of Jimma-Bonga. In November 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Addis Abeba, and he was consecrated by Cardinal Paulos Tzadua in January 1998. He served as auxiliary bishop for 18 months before becoming archbishop in 1999.
In addition to his role as archbishop, Cardinal Souraphiel has established and served as chancellor of the Ethiopian Catholic University of St. Thomas Aquinas since 2005. He has also advocated for national reconciliation and commuted the death sentences of imprisoned Derg officials following the end of the military council's authoritarian rule. He has taken a conservative stance on social issues, including homosexuality, and has served as head of the Ethiopian Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear exactly how many Catholic bishops there are in Africa. However, one source mentions that there are 42 subcategories of bishops who have served in Africa.
According to the World Values Survey, 94% of Catholics in Nigeria attend Mass at least once a week, with 73% of Catholics in Kenya doing the same.
According to data from the World Christian Database, 55% of the population in the Democratic Republic of Congo is Catholic.
