The Roman Catholic Diocese of Benguela () is a diocese located in the city of Benguela in the Ecclesiastical province of Huambo in Angola. The current bishop of the diocese is António Francisco Jaca.

History

The diocese was established on 6 June 1970 as Diocese of Benguela from the Diocese of Nova Lisboa (now the Archdiocese of Huambo). It was initially a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Lwanda but became a suffragan of Huambo on 3 February 1977.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Benguela

It enjoyed a papal visit by Pope John Paul II on 9 June 1992

Geography

The diocese covers the entirety of Benguela Province. It has an area of 39,823 km² and is divided into 68 parishes .

Roman Catholic Diocese of Benguela

Special churches

The Cathedral of the diocese is Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral () in Benguela.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Benguela

Bishops

Bishops of Benguela

Armando Amaral dos Santos (6 June 1970 – 14 October 1973) Oscar Lino Lopes Fernandes Braga (20 November 1974 – 18 February 2008) Eugenio Dal Corso, PSDP (18 February 2008 – 26 March 2018), elevated to Cardinal in 2019 António Francisco Jaca, SVD (26 March 2018 – present)

Auxiliary Bishops

Estêvão Binga (3 November 2021–present)

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Mário Lucunde, appointed Bishop of Menongue in 2005

Emílio Sumbelelo, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Uije in 2006

See also

Roman Catholicism in Angola

References

External links

GCatholic.org

Benguela

Christian organizations established in 1970

Benguela

Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century

Benguela, Roman Catholic Diocese of