Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha

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Archdiocese of Onitsha Archidioecesis Onitshanus
Coat of arms
Location
Country	Nigeria
Territory	Anambra State
Ecclesiastical province	Onitsha
Subdivisions	Nnobi Region, Aguleri Region, Onitsha Region, Dunukofia Region, Igbariam Region, Iyiowa Region
Headquarters	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 (including non-members)	(as of 2004) 2,060,490 1,373,660 (66.7%)
Parishes	183
Churches	<-- 184 Parishes-->
Schools	123
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	1950.04.18
Cathedral	Holy Trinity Basilica
Secular priests	515
Language	Igbo
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Archbishop	Most Rev. Valerian Okeke
Suffragans	Abakaliki, Awgu, Awka, Enugu, Ekwulobia, Nnewi, Nsukka
Auxiliary Bishops	Auxiliary Bishop Most Rev. (2015-present); appointed by Pope Francis on Friday, February 6, 2015[1]
Vicar General	Most Rev. Denis Isizoh
Episcopal Vicars	Fr. Patrick Omuta - Onitsha Region Fr. Matthew Obiekezie - Aguleri Region Fr. Emmanuel Egwuoba - Iyiowa Region Fr. Aloysius Ikekwe- Dunukofia Region Fr. JohnBosco Ezika- Nnobi Region Fr. Vincent Onuchukwu - Igbariam Region
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[]

On 25 July 1889, the Apostolic Prefecture of Lower Niger was established out of an area that previously formed part of the larger Apostolic Vicariate of Benin Coast.

On 16 April 1920, the Prefecture was promoted as the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Nigeria. On 9 July 1934, the Vicariate was renamed from Southern Nigeria to Onitsha-Owerri. On 12 February 1948, the Vicariate was renamed again to its present name of Onitsha.

On 18 April 1950, the Vicariate was promoted to a Metropolitan See.

Special churches[]

The seat of the archbishop is the Holy Trinity Basilica in Onitsha.

Bishops[]

Prefects Apostolic of Lower Niger {Niger Inferiore}

• Father , C.S.Sp. 23 May 1900 – 5 September 1905
• Father Joseph (Ignatius) Shanahan, C.S.Sp. 20 September 1905 - 16 April 1920 see below

Vicars Apostolic of Southern Nigeria {Nigeria Meridionale}

• Bishop Joseph (Ignatius) Shanahan, C.S.Sp. see above 16 April 1920 - 21 May 1931
• Bishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. 21 May 1931 – 9 July 1934 see below

Vicar Apostolic of Onitsha-Owerri

• Bishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. see above 9 July 1934 – 12 February 1948 see below

Vicar Apostolic of Onitsha

• Bishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. see above 12 February 1948 – 18 April 1950 see below

Archbishops of Onitsha

• Archbishop Charles Heerey, C.S.Sp. see above 18 April 1950 – 26 June 1967
• Archbishop Francis Arinze 1967.06.26 – 1985.03.09, already appointed Pro-Prefect of the Secretariat of Non-Christians in 1984; elevated to Cardinal in 1985
• Archbishop 1985.03.09 – 1995.02.25
• Archbishop Albert Kanene Obiefuna 1995.02.25 – 2003.09.01
• Archbishop Valerian Okeke since 2003.09.01

Coadjutor Bishops[]

• Francis Arinze (1965-1967), did not have right of succession (?) but was appointed Archbishop here; future Cardinal
• , C.S.Sp. (1927-1931), as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic
• Albert Kanene Obiefuna (1994-1995), as Coadjutor Archbishop
• Valerian Maduka Okeke (2001-2003), as Coadjutor Archbishop

Auxiliary Bishops[]

• (1957-1962), appointed Bishop of Enugu
• (2015-)
• Emmanuel Otteh (1990-1996), appointed Bishop of Issele-Uku

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops[]

• Albert Kanene Obiefuna, appointed Bishop of Awka in 1977; later returned here as Coadjutor
• , appointed Bishop of Nnewi in 2001
• Jude Thaddeus Okolo (priest here 1983-2001), appointed nuncio and titular archbishop in 2008
• (priest here, 1944-1948), appointed Bishop of Owerri in 1970

Suffragan dioceses[]

• Abakaliki
• Awgu
• Awka
• Ekwulobia
• Enugu
• Nnewi
• Nsukka

Schools[]

• Michael Tansi Memorial Secondary School, Aguleri

See also[]

• Roman Catholicism in Nigeria

References[]

Sources[]

• GCatholic.org
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, official website
• Catholic-Hierarchy page about Onitsha
• [1]