Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Huambo

The Archdiocese of Huambo (Latin: Archidioecesis Huambensis) is a Latin Metropolitan archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Angola.

Archdiocese of Huambo

Archidioecesis Huambensis
Location
CountryAngola
Statistics
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2019)
2,019,555
1,137,010 (56.3%)
Parishes49
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
Established4 September 1940
(As Diocese of Nova Lisboa)
3 February 1977
(As Archdiocese of Huambo)
CathedralMarian Cathedral of the Conception of Our Lady
Secular priests88 (2019)
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
ArchbishopZeferino Zeca Martins, S.V.D.
Bishops emeritusJosé de Queirós Alves, C.SS.R.

The cathedral see of the archbishop is the Marian Cathedral of the Conception of Our Lady (Portuguese: Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Conceição), in Huambo.

By 2019, the archdiocese had approximately 1.1 million Roman Catholics and 88 diocesan priests.[1]

History

On 4 September 1940, the Diocese of Nova Lisboa was established on assembled territories split off from the Diocese of São Paulo de Loanda and mission sui iuris of Cunene, mainly to serve the growing European population in what was then the colony of Portuguese Angola.

As time went on, it shed territory due to the creation of other dioceses :

On 3 February 1977, the Diocese of Nova Lisboa was promoted and renamed the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Huambo.

In June 1992, it enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope John Paul II.

Geography

The archdiocese has an area of 35,770 square kilometers and comprises most of Huambo Province, including the following municipalities:

Bishops

(all Roman Rite) † = deceased

Episcopal ordinaries
Suffragan Bishops of Nova Lisboa
Metropolitan Archbishops of Huambo
  • † Manuel Franklin da Costa (3 February 1977 – 12 September 1986), also President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (1982 – 1990); previously Bishop of Henrique de Carvalho (Angola) (10 August 1975 – 3 February 1977); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubango (Angola) (12 September 1986 – retired 15 January 1997, died 2003)
  • † Francisco Viti 12 September 1986 – retired 31 July 2003); previously Bishop of Serpa Pinto (now Menongue; Angola) (10 August 1975 – 16 May 1979), restyled Bishop of Menongue (Angola) (16 May 1979 – 12 September 1986)
  • † Apostolic Administrator Oscar Lino Lopes Fernandes Braga (31 July 2003 – 3 May 2004), while Bishop of suffragan see Benguela (Angola) (20 November 1974 – 18 February 2008)
  • José de Queirós Alves, C.SS.R. (3 May 2004 – 1 October 2018), former Bishop of Menongue (Angola) (12 September 1986 – 3 May 2004), also stayed Apostolic Administrator of his former see Menongue (27 June 2004 – 3 August 2005)
  • Zeferino Zeca Martins, S.V.D. (1 October 2018 - ...), previously Auxiliary Bishop of Luanda (19 May 2012 - 1 October 2018)

Other priests of the Archdiocese who became bishops

Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's archdiocese and the following suffragan sees:[3]

Demographics

The diocese has a population of approximately 2,456,000, most of whom are Ovimbundu or Ganguela. The most common spoken languages are Umbundu and Portuguese.[2]

Statistics[1]
Year Population Priests Permanent

Deacons

 Religious Parishes
Catholics Total % Diocesan Religious Total

Priests

 Catholics per Priest Male Female
1950 394,621 1,284,668 30.7 13 102 115 3,431 - 114 98 37
1966 754,765 1,327,913 56.8 69 97 166 4,546 - 145 185 59
1970 880,000 1,670,000 52.7 86 79 165 5,333 - 136 204 29
1980 767,000 1,330,000 57.7 27 22 49 15,653 - 60 56 34
1990 1,088,004 1,750,000 62.2 30 23 53 20,528 - 102 134 55
1999 1,000,000 2,890,000 34.6 27 22 49 20,408 - 209 165 42
2000 1,290,000 2,336,211 55.2 32 21 53 24,339 - 174 156 20
2001 1,170,00 2,072,586 56.5 39 23 62 18,870 - 132 152 20
2002 1,119,590 2,012,180 55.6 41 26 67 16,710 - 114 158 20
2003 1,056,000 1,956,000 54.0 43 22 65 16,246 - 130 170 20
2004 1,120,000 1,956,000 57.3 51 20 71 15,774 - 119 173 42
2006 1,278,000 2,083,000 61.4 57 20 77 16,597 - 85 150 42
2013 1,552,000 2,530,000 61.3 74 21 95 16,336 - 99 179 43
2016 1,635,000 2,667,000 61.3 81 23 104 15,721 - 127 177 43
2019 1,137,010 2,019,555 56.3 88 28 116 9,801 - 156 196 49

See also

References
  1. "Huambo (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  2. "Arquidiocese do Huambo". Ceast – Conferencia Episcopal de Angola e São Tomé (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. "Províncias Eclesiásticas". Ceast – Conferencia Episcopal de Angola e São Tomé (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 March 2023.

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