The Roman Catholic Diocese of Okigwe ( la, Okigwen(sis)) is a
diocese
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 associa ...
located in the city of
Okigwe
Okigwe is the third largest city in Imo state in Nigeria after Owerri and Orlu. Okigwe is located in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Nigeria. The city lies between the Port Harcourt-Enugu-Maiduguri rail line, being the nearest city to the b ...
,
Imo State in the
Ecclesiastical province
An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian Churches with traditional hierarchical structure, including Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity. In general, an ecclesiastical province consists of seve ...
of
Owerri
Owerri ( , ) is the capital city of Imo State in Nigeria, set in the heart of Igboland. It is also the state's largest city, followed by Orlu, Okigwe and Ohaji/Egbema. Owerri consists of three Local Government Areas including Owerri Municipal, ...
in
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
.
As at 2016, the diocese has 43 missions, 219 lay religious (33 brothers, 186 sisters), and 198 seminarians.
History
* January 24, 1981: Established as Diocese of Okigwe from the
Diocese of Umuahia
Special churches
The
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 denominatio ...
is St. Mary's Cathedral in Okigwe.
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 c ...
s of Okigwe
** Bishop
Anthony Ekezia Ilonu (January 24, 1981 – April 22, 2006)
** Bishop
Solomon Amanchukwu Amatu (since April 22, 2006)
See also
*
Roman Catholicism in Nigeria
The Catholic Church in Nigeria is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, the curia in Rome, and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The present president of the CBCN is Most Rev. Luci ...
References
External links
Official website of the Diocese of Okigwe
Roman Catholic dioceses in Nigeria
Christian organizations established in 1981
Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Owerri
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