Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antsiranana explained

There is also an Anglican Bishop of Antsiranana in the Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean.

Jurisdiction:Archdiocese
Antsiranana
Latin:Archidioecesis Antsirananensis
Country:Madagascar
Province:Antsiranana
Area Km2:37,924
Population:1,573,833
Population As Of:2014
Catholics:662,873
Catholics Percent:42.1
Parishes:26
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Rite:Roman rite
Established:16 January 1896
Cathedral:Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Bishop:Benjamin Marc Balthason RamarosonC.M.
Bishop Title:Metropolitan Archbishop

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antsiranana is one of five Metropolitan Latin Archdioceses in Madagascar. Although it has its ecclesiastical province, it remains subject to the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Antsiranana.

History

It was established on 16 January 1896 as Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Madagascar, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Madagascar (now Metropolitan Archbishopric of Antananarivo)

On 20 May 1913 it was renamed after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Diégo-Suarez.On 15 March 1923 it lost territory to establish the then Apostolic Vicariate of MajungaOn 14 September 1955 it was promoted as Diocese of Diégo-Suarez

Promoted on 11 December 1958 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Diégo-Suarez, during the transition from French colony to independence. On 21 May 1959 it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Ambatondrazaka.It enjoyed a Papal visit by Pope John Paul II in April 1989.

Renamed on 28 October 1989 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antsiranana.On 30 October 2000 it lost further territory to establish the Diocese of Fenoarivo Atsinanana.

Ecclesiastical province

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antsiranana has the following suffragan sees :

Statistics

As per 2014, it pastorally served 662,873 Catholics (42.1% of 1,573,833 total) on 37,924 km2 in 26 parishes with 65 priests (51 diocesan, 14 religious), 194 lay religious (42 brothers, 152 sisters) and 54 seminarians.

It had a total population of about 2,211,890 in 2004. About 15.5% of the residents were Catholic. 46 Priests operated in the Archdiocese, making for a ratio of 7,464 Catholics per Priest. The Archbishop as of November 2013 is Benjamin Marc Ramaroson.

Episcopal ordinaries

(all Roman rite)

Apostolic Vicar of North Madagascar
Apostolic vicars of Diego Suarez
Suffragan bishop of Diego Suarez
Metropolitan archbishops of Diego Suarez
Metropolitan archbishops of Antsiranana

See also

Sources and external links

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