The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga ( la, Archidioecesis Kanangana) is the

Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

See See or SEE may refer to: * Sight - seeing Arts, entertainment, and media * Music: ** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals *** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See'' ** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho * Television * ...

for 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 ...

Kananga Kananga, formerly known as Luluabourg or Luluaburg, is the capital city of the Kasai-Central, Kasai-Central Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was the capital of the former Kasaï-Occidental , Kasaï-Occidental Province. It is ...

in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

Special churches

The episcopal

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 ...

is the Cathédrale Saint Joseph Mikalayi in Kazumba. There is also a Pro-Cathedral, the Pro-cathédrale Saint Clément in

History

* Established on 26 July 1901 as

Mission sui juris A mission ''sui iuris'', or in Latin ''missio sui iuris'' (plural ''missions sui iuris''); also spelled mission(s) sui juris), also known as an independent mission, is a rare type of Roman Catholic missionary pseudo-diocesan jurisdiction, rankin ...

of Upper Kassai (Kasaï Supérieur), on territory split off from the then

Apostolic Vicariate of Belgian Congo The Archdiocese of Kinshasa (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Kinshasana''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Kinshasa'') is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its ecclesiastic territory includes the capital city o ...

(Congo Belge) * March 18, 1904 promoted as the Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Kassai * June 13, 1917, again promoted as the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai, 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 ...

* Lost territory repeatedly, to establish : the

Apostolic Prefecture of Lulua Katanga The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kamina ( la, Kainaën(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Kamina in the Ecclesiastical province of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. History * July 18, 1922: Established as Apostolic Prefect ...

on 18 July 1922, the

Apostolic Prefecture of Tshumbe The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tshumbe ( la, Tshumbeen(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its cathedral episcopal see is Cathédrale Sainte-Marie in the city of ...

on 1936.05.18, the Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu on 1937.04.13 and the Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu on 1939.04.25. * March 10, 1949: Renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg * Lost territories on 23 March 1953 to establish both

Apostolic Vicariate of Kabinda The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabinda ( la, Kabindaën(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its cathedral episcopal see is located in the city of Kabinda. Histo ...

and Apostolic Prefecture of Mweka * On 1959.04.25, lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Luebo * November 10, 1959: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luluabourg * On 1963.11.22, lost territory to establish the then Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi * Lost territories on 1967.09.26, to Diocese of Luebo (as transfer), and establish the Diocese of Luiza * June 14, 1972: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga

Leadership

; Apostolic Prefects of Upper Kasai * Fr. Emeri Cambier, Sceutists (C.I.C.M.) (1904 – 1918) * Fr. Egide de Boeck, C.I.C.M. (1913 – 1916), later Apostolic Vicar of Nieuw-Antwerpen (Congo-Kinshasa) (1921.01.04 – 1936.01.27), Titular Bishop of Azotus (1921.03.10 – 1944.12.20), Apostolic Vicar of

Lisala Lisala is the capital of the Mongala Province in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo River flows through the city. Its Cathédrale Saint-Hermès is the cathedral episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lisala. It is ...

(Congo-Kinshasa) (1936.01.27 – 1944.12.20) * Fr. Ernest Handekijn (1916 – 1917.06.13) ; Apostolic Vicars of Upper Kasai * Bishop Auguste Declercq, C.I.C.M. (1918.08.24 – 1938.10.29), Titular Bishop of Thignica (1918.08.24 – death 1939.11.23) *

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (1938.10.29 – 1948.04.22), Titular Bishop of Vescera (1936.01.27 – 1969.07.02); succeeding as previous Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (1936.01.23 – 1938.10.29) ; Apostolic Vicar of Luluabourg * Bishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10 ''see below''), Titular Bishop of Belali (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10); also

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 Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953 – 1957) ; Metropolitan Archbishops of Luluabourg * Archbishop

Bernard Mels Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brave ...

, C.I.C.M. (''see above'' 1959.11.10 – 1967.09.26); later

Archbishop-Bishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...

of Lwiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.09.26 – 1970.10.03), finally Titular Archbishop of

Pulcheriopolis Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in th ...

(1970.10.03 – 1986.05.17) * Archbishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (1967.09.26 – 1972.06.14 ''see below''), previously Titular Bishop of Sullectum (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26) & Auxiliary Bishop of Luluabourg (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26) ; Metropolitan Archbishops of Kananga * Archbishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (''see above'' 1972.06.14 – 1997.03.03) * Archbishop

Godefroid Mukeng’a Kalond Godefroid may refer to: *Marie-Éléonore Godefroid (1778–1849), French painter *Félix Godefroid (1818–1897), Belgian harpist, who composed for his instrument and for the piano *Godefroid Kurth (1847–1916), Belgian historian *Godefroid Munon ...

, C.I.C.M. (1997.03.03 – 2006.05.03), previously Bishop of Lwiza (1971.08.30 – 1997.03.03) * Archbishop Marcel Madila Basanguka (since 2006.12.09 - ...), previously Titular Bishop of

Gigthi Gigthi was a town in the late Roman province of Tripolitania, which became a residential episcopal see. It corresponded to present-day Djorf-Bou-Ghara.''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN, 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 902 ...

(2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09) & Auxiliary Bishop of Kananga (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09)

Coadjutor vicar apostolic

* Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (1936-1938)

Auxiliary bishops

* Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (1966-1967), appointed Archbishop here * Marcel Madila Basanguka (2004-2006), appointed Archbishop here

Other priests of this diocese who became bishop

* Pierre-Célestin Tshitoko Mamba, appointed Bishop of Luebo in 2006

Province

Its

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 ...

comprises the Metropolitan's own Archdiocese and the following

Suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

dioceses, generally daughters (see above) : *

Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabinda The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabinda ( la, Kabindaën(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its cathedral episcopal see is located in the city of Kabinda. Histor ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Kole The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kole ( la, Kolen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Kole in the Ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is coterminous with the '' Territoires'' ("counties") of Kole, ...

Roman Catholic Diocese of Luebo The Roman Catholic Diocese of Luebo ( la, Lueboën(sis) ) is a suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its cathedral episcopal see is Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste (dedicated to ...

* Roman Catholic Diocese of Luiza * Roman Catholic Diocese of Mbujimayi *

Roman Catholic Diocese of Mweka The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mweka ( la, Mvekaën(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of The Metropolitan of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the E ...

* Roman Catholic Diocese of Tshilomba *

Roman Catholic Diocese of Tshumbe The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tshumbe ( la, Tshumbeen(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Kananga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its cathedral episcopal see is Cathédrale Sainte-Marie in the city of ...

Source and external links

Archdiocese of Kananga website (in French)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kananga, Archdiocese Kananga Roman Catholic dioceses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Christian organizations established in 1904 Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century A