You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Italian. (February 2011) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Benguela (Latin: Dioecesis Benguelensis) is a diocese located in the city of Benguela in the ecclesiastical province of Huambo in Angola. The current bishop of the diocese is António Francisco Jaca.
Diocese of Benguela Dioecesis Benguelensis | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Angola |
| Metropolitan | Huambo |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2020) 2,551,000 1,985,760 (77.8%) |
| Parishes | 68 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Established | 6 June 1970 |
| Cathedral | Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral, Benguela |
| Patron saint | Our Lady of Fatima |
| Secular priests | 172 (2020) |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | António Francisco Jaca |
History
editThe diocese was established on 6 June 1970 as Diocese of Benguela from the Diocese of Nova Lisboa (now the Archdiocese of Huambo). It was initially a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Luanda but became a suffragan of Huambo on 3 February 1977.
It enjoyed a papal visit by Pope John Paul II on 9 June 1992.[1]
Geography
editThe diocese covers the entirety of Benguela Province. It has an area of 39,823 km2 and is divided into 68 parishes.
Special churches
editThe Cathedral of the diocese is Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral (Portuguese: Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora de Fátima) in Benguela.
Bishops
editBishops of Benguela
edit- Armando Amaral dos Santos (6 June 1970 – 14 October 1973)
- Oscar Lino Lopes Fernandes Braga (20 November 1974 – 18 February 2008)
- Eugenio Dal Corso, PSDP (18 February 2008 – 26 March 2018),[2] elevated to Cardinal in 2019
- António Francisco Jaca, SVD (26 March 2018[2] – present)
Auxiliary Bishops
edit- Estêvão Binga (3 November 2021–present)
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
edit- Mário Lucunde, appointed Bishop of Menongue in 2005
- Emílio Sumbelelo, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Uije in 2006
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Apostolic Journey to Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (June 4-10, 1992)". Vatican.va. Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Resignations and Appointments, 26.03.2018" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
External links
edit- GCatholic.org
- "Diocese of Benguela". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney.