Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha

Archdiocese of Onitsha Archidioecesis Onitshanus
Location
Country	Nigeria
Territory	Anambra State
Ecclesiastical province	Onitsha
Coordinates	6°9′59.9472″N 6°46′59.9226″E / 6.166652000°N 6.783311833°E / 6.166652000; 6.783311833
Statistics
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 2,060,490 1,373,660 (66.7%)
Parishes	85
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	1950.04.18
Cathedral	Holy Trinity Basilica
Secular priests	299
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Archbishop	Most Rev. Valerian Okeke
Suffragans	Abakaliki, Awgu, Awka, Enugu, Nnewi, Nsukka
Auxiliary Bishops	Auxiliary Bishop-elect Rev. Msgr. Denis Chidi Isizoh (2015-present); to be ordained; appointed by Pope Francis on Friday, February 6, 2015^[1]
Map
Anambra State is shown in red
Website
Onitsha-Archdiocese.org

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha (Latin: Onitshan(us)) is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Onitsha in Anambra State, Nigeria.

History

1889.07.25: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Lower Niger from the Apostolic Vicariate of Benin Coast
1920.04.16: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Nigeria
1934.07.09: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Onitsha–Owerri
1948.02.12: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Onitsha
1950.04.18: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Onitsha

Special churches

The seat of the archbishop is the Holy Trinity Basilica (the only Basilica in Nigeria) in Onitsha.

Leadership

Metropolitan Archbishops of Onitsha(Roman rite)
- Archbishop Valerian Okeke since 2003.09.01
- Archbishop Albert Kanene Obiefuna 1995.02.25 – 2003.09.01
- Archbishop Stephen Nweke Ezeanya 1985.03.09 – 1995.02.25
- Cardinal Francis Arinze 1967.06.26 – 1985.03.09
- Archbishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. 1950.04.18 – 1967.06.26
Vicars Apostolic of Onitsha (Roman rite)
- Archbishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. 1948.02.12 – 1950.04.18
Vicars Apostolic of Onitsha–Owerri (Roman rite)
- Archbishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. 1934.07.09 – 1948.02.12
Vicars Apostolic of Southern Nigeria (Roman rite)
- Archbishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. 1931.05.21 – 1934.07.09
- Bishop Joseph (Ignatius) Shanahan, C.S.Sp. 1920.04.16 – 1931.05.21
Prefects Apostolic of Lower Niger (Roman rite)
- Bishop Joseph (Ignatius) Shanahan, C.S.Sp. 1905.09.20 – 1920.04.16
- Fr. Léon-Alexander Lejeune, C.S.Sp. 1900.05.23 – 1905.09.05

Suffragan dioceses

References

↑ http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fpress.vatican.va%2Fcontent%2Fsalastampa%2Fen%2Fbollettino%2Fpubblico%2F2015%2F02%2F06%2F0097%2F00214.html

Sources

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