Roman Catholicism in Algeria
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The Catholic Church in
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
is part of the worldwide
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
, under the spiritual leadership of the
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in
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
. Prior to independence, Algeria was home to a million
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
settlers (10%). Some Moroccans of
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–19 ...
(mostly Kabyle) or Arab descent converted to Christianity during the French colonialism. Since independence in 1962, the European Catholic population has decreased substantially, and many Catholics left to France or Spain. Prior to independence, the European Catholic settlers had historic legacy and powerful presence. Independence prompted a mass exodus of the European Catholic settlers; after series of violence events over 1962 more than 80% of Catholic settlers left the country.


Jurisdictions

The country is divided into four
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dioceses 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 ...
, including one archdiocese with two suffragan dioceses and one exempt diocese (ie immediately subject to the Holy See.)


Ecclesiastical province of Alger

* Metropolitan Archdiocese of Alger ** Diocese of Constantine ** Diocese of Oran


Exempt diocese

* Diocese of Laghouat (''Immediately subject to the Holy See'') During French colonial rule, the Catholic population of Algeria peaked at over one million, but most of these left following Algeria's independence in 1962. There were about 45,000 Catholics residing in the country in the 1980's.


See also

* List of Catholic dioceses in Algeria, including former jurisdictions, notably many titular sees * List of Catholic churches in Algeria * List of Saints from Africa *
List of Christian saints of Algeria This is a list of Algerian saints, blesseds, venerables, and Servants of God, as recognized by the Catholic Church. These people were born, died, or lived their religious life in the present territory of Algeria. Catholicism had reached Algeria ...


References


Sources and external links


Official Website of the Catholic Church in Algeria




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