Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan explained

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan (la|Abidianen(sis)) is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire.

History

• June 28, 1895: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Costa d'Avorio from the Apostolic Prefecture of Gold Coast in Ghana
• November 17, 1911: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Costa d'Avorio
• April 9, 1940: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Abidjan
• September 14, 1955: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Abidjan

Special churches

The seat of the archbishop is St. Paul's Cathedral in Abidjan.

Leadership

Prefect Apostolic of Ivory Coast

• Fr. Jules-Joseph Moury, S.M.A. (18 January 1910 – 17 January 1911)

Vicars Apostolic of Ivory Coast

• Jules-Joseph Moury, S.M.A. (17 January 1911 – 29 March 1935)
• François Person, S.M.A. (9 December 1935 – 8 July 1938)
• Jean-Baptiste Boivin, S.M.A. (15 March 1939 – 9 April 1940)

Vicar Apostolic of Abidjan

• • Jean-Baptiste Boivin, S.M.A. (9 April 1940 – 14 September 1955)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Abidjan

• Jean-Baptiste Boivin, S.M.A. (14 September 1955 – 10 June 1959)
• Bernard Yago (5 April 1960 – 19 December 1994); cardinal in 1983
• Bernard Agré (19 December 1994 – 2 May 2006); cardinal in 2001
• Jean-Pierre Kutwa (2 May 2006 - 20 May 2024); cardinal in 2014
• Ignace Bessi Dogbo, O.P. 920 May 2024 - present)

Auxiliary bishops

• Laurent Yapi (1970-1979), appointed Bishop of Abengourou
• Paul Dacoury-Tabley (1979-1994), appointed Bishop of Grand-Bassam
• Joseph Yapo Aké (2001-2006), appointed Bishop of Yamoussoukro

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

• Bernard Agré, appointed Bishop of Man in 1968; later returned here as Archbishop; future Cardinal

Suffragan dioceses

• Agboville
• Grand-Bassam
• Yopougon

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Côte d'Ivoire
• List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Côte d'Ivoire

Sources

• GCatholic.org

References

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