The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nacala ( la, Nacalan(a)) is a
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, 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 Roman province, pro ...
located in the city of
Nacala
Nacala, also known as Cidade de Nacala or Nacala-Porto is a city on the northern coast of Mozambique. Located in the southwestern indentation of inner Fernao Veloso Bay, it is the deepest natural port on the east coast of Africa. Nacala serves as ...
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
Nampula
Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in Northern Mozambique. With a population of 743,125 (2017 census), it is the third-largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Matola. The city is located in the interior of Nampula Province, approxi ...
in
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
.
History
* October 11, 1991: Established as Diocese of Nacala from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nampula
Leadership
*
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 ...
s of Nacala (Roman rite)
** Bishop
Germano Grachane, C.M. (October 11, 1991 - April 25, 2018)
** Bishop
Alberto Vera Aréjula
Alberto is the Romance version of the Latinized form (''Albertus'') of Germanic '' Albert''. It is used in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. The diminutive forms are ''Albertito'' in Spain or ''Albertico'' in some parts of Latin America, Alberti ...
, O. de M. (since April 25, 2018)
Persecution and insecurity
In September 2022 the Diocese of Nacala began to be affected by the
Islamist insurgency that had begun in 2017 in
Cabo Delgado, proving that the terrorists, affiliated with
Ansar al-Sunna
Jamaat Ansar al-Sunnah ( ar, جماعة أنصار السنه, Jama'at 'Anṣār as-Sunnah, lit=Assembly of the Helpers of Sunnah), also known as Jaish Ansar al-Sunna (Army of the Helpers of Sunnah), Ali ibn Abi Talib Battalion or simply as ...
, were spreading South. An attack on a Catholic Mission in Chipene left the entire premises destroyed, and the insurgents murdered a Catholic nun, Sister Maria de Coppi. Later, the same insurgents killed at least three Christians in surrounding settlements, slitting their throats, according to Bishop Alberto Vera Aréjula.
This marked a difference in strategy by the terrorists, who until now had mostly refrained from specifically targeting Christians and Christian symbols and buildings.
See also
*
Roman Catholicism in Mozambique
The Catholic Church in Mozambique is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.
There are over 8,784 million Catholics (30.5%) in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony.
The country is divided into ...
References
Sources
GCatholic.org
Roman Catholic dioceses in Mozambique
Roman Catholic dioceses established in 1991
1991 establishments in Mozambique
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Nampula
{{Mozambique-stub