The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antananarivo is one of five Latin Metropolitan Archdioceses in

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

, yet depends on the missionary

Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

. Its

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

episcopal see is the Cathédrale de l'Immaculée Conception, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, in Andohalo, in the national capital city of

Antananarivo Antananarivo ( French: ''Tananarive'', ), also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. The administrative area of the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "An ...

. The Archbishop is

Odon Marie Arsène Razanakolona Odon Marie Arsène Razanakolona (born 24 May 1946, in Fianarantsoa) is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Antananarivo in Antananarivo, Madagascar. He was ordained priest on 28 December 1975 and earned a doctorate in canon law from the Ponti ...

, and the Auxiliary Bishop Jean-Pascal Randriantsoavina. The archdiocese was, for many years, one of the bases for the spreading of Catholicism in Madagascar and the surrounding British and especially French Indian Ocean territories like

Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

Comoros The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...

and others, which now form an Indian Ocean Episcopal Conference.

Statistics

As per 2014 it pastorally served 957,000 Catholics (27.0% of 3,550,000 total) on 12,500 km² in 77 parishes and 22 missions with 356 priests (160 diocesan, 196 religious), 2,333 lay religious (568 brothers, 1,765 sisters) and 131 seminarians. The archdiocese had a total population of about 2,1816,7149 in 2004, with about 27.1% of the residents being Catholic; 277 Priests operated in the Archdiocese, making for a ratio of 2,750 Catholics per priest.

Ecclesiastical province

The

suffragan diocese A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ...

s and the bishops in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...

of Antananrivo headed by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Antananrivo are (2017): *

Antsirabe Antsirabe () is the third largest city in Madagascar and the capital of the Vakinankaratra region, with a population of 265,018 in 2014. In Madagascar, Antsirabe is known for its relatively cool climate (like the rest of the central region), it ...

Philippe Ranaivomanana Bishop Philippe Ranaivomanana (12 May 1949 – 6 September 2022) was a Madagascan Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Ihosy. He was ordained priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals o ...

* Maintirano (since 2017) -

Gustavo Bombin Espino Gustavo is the Latinate form of a Germanic male given name with respective prevalence in Portuguese language, Portuguese, Spanish language, Spanish, and Italian language, Italian. It has been a common name for Swedish monarchs since the reign of Gu ...

, O.SS.T. *

Miarinarivo Miarinarivo is a city (commune urbaine) in Itasy Region, in the Central Highlands of Madagascar. Miarinarivo is located at of Antananarivo and is the capital of Itasy Region as well as of its district. Education In Miarinarivo are situa ...

Jean Claude Randrianarisoa Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jean ...

* Tsiroanomandidy -

Gabriel Randrianantenaina In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብ� ...

History

* What is now the Archdiocese of Antananarivo was founded as the Apostolic Prefecture of Madagascar in 1841, on territory split off from the

Diocese of Saint-Denis-de-La Réunion In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

in La Réunion. It was influential in the spreading of Christianity on Madagascar, despite what became known as "ny tany maizina", or "the time when the land was dark." It was a time of absolute persecution of any Malagasy that converted to Christianity and it is estimated that 150,000 Christians died then. * In 1848, it was promoted to the Apostolic Vicariate of Madagascar, hence entitled to a

titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

, having lost insular Indian Ocean territory on 1848.09.04 to establish the

Apostolic Prefecture of Mayotte, Nossi-Bé and Comoro The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ambanja ( la, Ambaniaën(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Ambanja in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antsiranana in Madagascar. Its episcopal see is the Cathedral of Saint Jose ...

. On 1896.01.16 it lost Malagassy (Malgache) territory to establish the then

Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Madagascar :''There is also an Anglican '' Bishop of Antsiranana'' in the Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean.'' The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antsiranana is one of five Metropolitan Latin Archdioceses in Madagascar. Although it has its eccles ...

and then

Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Madagascar The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tolagnaro ( la, Tolagnaren(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Fort-Dauphin in Madagascar, yet still depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. ...

(now Metropolitan Archdioceses). In 1898 it was accordingly renamed itself as the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Madagascar (Madagascar Centrale). On 20 May 1913, it was renamed after its see as the Apostolic Vicariate of Tananarive. It lost more Malagassy territory on Madagascar thrice more : on 1933.12.13 to establish the Mission sui juris of Miarinarivo, on 1935.06.18 to establish the then

Apostolic Prefecture of Vatomandry Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles * Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Chur ...

and on 1938.01.08 to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Morondava. * On 1955.09.14 it was promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tananarive / Tananariven(sis) (Latin) On 1959.05.21 it again lost Malagassy territory to establish the Diocese of Ambatondrazaka. * On 1989.10.28 it was renamed, with its see, as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antananarivo.

Ordinaries

(all

Roman Rite The Roman Rite ( la, Ritus Romanus) is the primary liturgical rite of the Latin Church, the largest of the ''sui iuris'' particular churches that comprise the Catholic Church. It developed in the Latin language in the city of Rome and, while dist ...

; until World War II generally French missionaries of Latin congregations) ;''Apostolic Prefect of Madagascar'' * Father Jean-Pierre Dalmond,

Holy Ghost Fathers , image = Holy Ghost Fathers seal.png , size = 175px , caption = The seal of the Congregation depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Trinity. , abbreviation ...

(C.S.Sp.) (1841.12 – death 1847.09.22) ;''Apostolic Vicar of Madagascar'' * Alexandre-Hippolyte-Xavier Monnet, C.S.Sp. (1848.10.03 – death 1849.12.01),

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

of Pella (1848.10.03 – 1849.12.01); previously

Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...

of the

Congregation of the Holy Spirit , image = Holy Ghost Fathers seal.png , size = 175px , caption = The seal of the Congregation depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Trinity. , abbreviation ...

(Spiritans, Holy Ghost Fathers) (1848.03.02 – 1848.10.03) ;''Apostolic Vicars of Central Madagascar'' * Jean-Baptiste Cazet (1885.05.05 – retired 1911.08.30), Titular Bishop of Sozusa (in Palaestina) (1885.05.05 – death 1918.03.06) * Henri de Lespinasse de Saune,

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

(S.J.) (1911.08.30 – 1913.05.20 ''see below''), Titular Bishop of

Rhizæum Rize (Greek: ρίζα, Laz: რიზინი, Georgian: რიზე, , Ottoman Turkish: ريزه) is the capital city of Rize Province in the eastern part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey. Rize is a typically Turkish provincial capital with ...

(1899.11.22 – death 1929.08.07), succeeding as former Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Central Madagascar (1899.11.22 – 1911.08.30) ;''Apostolic Vicars of Tananarive'' * Henri de Lespinasse de Saune, S.J. (''see above'' 1913.05.20 – retired 1927.03.07) * Étienne Fourcadier (1928.02.15 – retired 1947.04.22), Titular Bishop of

Hippo Diarrhytus Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the cap ...

(1928.02.18 – death 1948.05.02) * Victor Sartre, S.J. (1948.03.11 – 1955.09.14 ''see below''), Titular Bishop of Vaga (1948.03.11 – 1955.09.14) ;''Metropolitan Archbishops of Tananarive'' * Victor Sartre, S.J. (''see above'' 1955.09.14 – retired 1960.01.12), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Beroë (1960.01.12 – death 2000.10.13) * Jérôme Rakotomalala (first native incumbent) (1960.04.04 – death 1975.11.01), also President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (1965 – 1966), created Cardinal-Priest of

S. Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino St. Mary the Consoler at Tiburtino ( it, Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino) is a Roman Catholic titular parish church in Rome. It is located in Piazza Santa Maria Consolatrice, within the ''quartiere'' Tiburtino. List of Cardinal Priests ...

(1969.04.30 – 1975.11.01) ** Auxiliary Bishop Nicolas Ravitarivao (1972.12.18 – death 1989.12.01),

of Arsennaria (1972.12.18 – 1989.12.01) * Victor Razafimahatratra, S.J. (1976.04.10 – 1989.10.28 ''see below''), previously Bishop of

Farafangana Farafangana is a city (commune urbaine) on the south-east coast of Madagascar and capital of the Atsimo-Atsinanana region. Location Farafangana is the capital of the region Atsimo-Atsinanana located approximately 400 kilometres south of the cap ...

(Madagascar) (1971.01.16 – 1976.04.10); also President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (1974 – 1986), created Cardinal-Priest of

S. Croce in Gerusalemme The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem or Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, ( la, Basilica Sanctae Crucis in Hierusalem) is a Catholic Minor basilica and titular church in rione Esquilino, Rome, Italy. It is one of the Seven Pilgrim ...

(1976.05.24 – death 1993.10.06) ;''Metropolitan Archbishops of Antananarivo'' * Victor Razafimahatratra, S.J. (''see above'' 1989.10.28 – death 1993.10.06) * Armand Gaétan Razafindratandra (1994.02.03 – retired 2005.12.07), previously Bishop of

Mahajanga Mahajanga (French: Majunga) is a city and an administrative district on the northwest coast of Madagascar. The city of Mahajanga (Mahajanga I) is the capital of the Boeny Region. The district (identical to the city) had a population of 220,629 i ...

(Madagascar) (1978.04.27 – 1989.10.28), Bishop of

(Madagascar) (1989.10.28 – 1994.02.03); created Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti (1994.11.26 – death 2010.01.09), also President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (1996 – 2002) ** Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ignace Randrianasolo (1997.10.24 – 1999.06.03), Titular Bishop of

Milevum Milevum (in Latin even "Milev" or "Mireon"; ''Μιραίον'' in Ancient Greek) was a Roman–Berber city in the Roman province of Numidia. It was located in present-day Mila in eastern Algeria. History In Ptolemy's "Geography" (vol. IV, i ...

(1997.10.24 – 1999.06.03); later Bishop of

(Madagascar) (1999.06.03 – death 2010.02.02) *

(2005.12.07 – ...), previously Bishop of

Ambanja Ambanja is a city and commune in northern Madagascar. According to 2001 census the population of Ambanja was 28,468. Geography Ambanja is located on the northern berth of the Sambirano River and is crossed by the Route Nationale 6 (Antsiranana ...

(Madagascar) (1998.11.28 – 2005.12.07), a while remaining

Apostolic Administrator An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...

of Ambanja (2005.12.07 – 2007.11.07) ** Auxiliary Bishop Jean-Paul Randriamanana (1999.06.03 – death 2011.11.09), Titular Bishop of Paria in Proconsolare (1999.06.03 – 2011.11.09) ** Auxiliary Bishop Jean de Dieu Raoelison Raoelison (2010.03.25 – 2015.04.11), Titular Bishop of Corniculana (2010.03.25 – 2015.04.11); later Bishop of Ambatondrazaka (Madagascar) (2015.04.11 – ...) ** Auxiliary Bishop Jean Pascal Andriantsoavina (2019.07.08 - ...), Titular Bishop of Zallata (2019.07.08 - ...)

References

Sources and external links

GCatholic - data for all sections

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antananarivo, Roman Catholic Archdiocese Roman Catholic dioceses in Madagascar

Religious organizations established in 1841 Religion is usually defined as a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, tra ...