The Diocese of Niassa (pt. ''Diocese Anglicana do Niassa'') it is one of the three Anglican dioceses of

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 ...

, part of the

Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola The Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola (IAMA)is the 42nd ecclesiastical province of the world-wide Anglican Communion. Established in 2021, is the newest province to have been erected. Previously the dioceses which constitute this new provin ...

. This diocese is geographically the central of the three, the others being the Diocese of Lebombo and the Diocese of Nampula.

History

Mark van Koevering, an American of Dutch descent, was the diocesan bishop from 2003 to 2015. The diocese itself was not able to elect a bishop after three days of election to succeed him and so it was delegated to the synod of bishops of the

Anglican Church of Southern Africa The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, known until 2006 as the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, is the province of the Anglican Communion in the southern part of Africa. The church has twenty-five dioceses, of which twenty-one are loc ...

in September 2016 where the Synod elected Vicente Msosa as the bishop elect, being consecrated bishop of the Diocese of Niassa on 25 February 2017.

Structure

Niassa diocese is divided into six archdeaconries: Cobue, Lunho, Lichinga,

Milange Milange is a town in Zambezia Province of Mozambique. It is the district center of Milange District. Timberlake, Jonathan; Julian Bayliss, Tereza Alves, Susana Baena, Jorge Francisco, Tim Harris, Camila da Sousa (2007). "The Biodiversity and Conserv ...

, Rio Chire and Lurio. The diocese has 426 congregations, over 65,500 worshipers, and 55 priests. It has a link with the Diocese of London in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

List of bishops

Paulo Zuizane Litumbe Paulo is a Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, and Italian masculine given name equivalent to English Paul. Notable people with the name include: * Paulo Jr. *Paulo Jr. (footballer) * Paulo Almeida, Brazilian footballer * Paulo André Cren Benini (born 1 ...

1979-1985 *

Paulino Manhique Paulino is a surname and a masculine given name. It is a Spanish and Portuguese form of the Roman family name ''Paulinus'', which was itself derived from the Roman family name Paulus meaning "small" or "humble" in Latin. People with the given na ...

1985-2003 * Mark van Koevering 2003-2015 * Vicente Msosa 2017-2021 * Lucas Mchema 2022-present On 5 December 2021, Vincente Msosa was transferred from Niassa to Zambezia; on 6 May 2022, Lucas Mchema was elected to become bishop of the diocese. Mchema was consecrated bishop on 9 July 2022 at Messumba.

Coat of arms

The diocese registered a coat of arms at the

Bureau of Heraldry Bureau ( ) may refer to: Agencies and organizations *Government agency *Public administration * News bureau, an office for gathering or distributing news, generally for a given geographical location * Bureau (European Parliament), the administrat ...

in 2001 : ''Per fess wavy Or and Azure, in chief a dug-out issuant Brunatre, seated therein a fisherman proper, vested about the loins Argent and holding pendant from a handline Sable a fish Argent, in base three barrulets wavy of the last; the shield ensigned of a mitre proper''.

Anglican realignment

Under Bishop Vicente Msosa leadership, the Diocese of Niassa has been supportive of the

Anglican realignment The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States ...

. He was one of the two bishops of the

to attend GAFCON III, in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, on 17-22 June 2018.Gafcon networks mobilise following cyclone, GAFCON Official Website
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References

External links

Diocese of Niassa
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niassa, Anglican Diocese of Anglicanism in Mozambique 1979 establishments in Mozambique