Roman Catholicism in Nigeria
Encyclopedia
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.
The president of the Bishops Conference is Archbishop Felix Alaba Adeosin Job of Ibadan.
The Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches comprise the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. In 2005, there were an estimated 19 million baptised Catholics in Nigeria. The recent Annuario Pontificio lists 25 million.
Nigeria, together with Congo Democratic Republic
, boasts of the highest number of priests in Africa. The boom in vocation to the priesthood in Nigeria is mainly in the eastern part (especially among the Igbo
ethnic group) which accounts for over 70 percent of the country's Catholic population.
The second papal visit to the country in 1998 witnessed the beatification of Blessed
Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
. Pope John Paul II
proclaimed him blessed at Oba
, Onitsha Archdiocese, a local Church established by the apostle of eastern Nigerian, Bishop Shanahan.
Within Nigeria the hierarchy consists of:
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
is part of the worldwide Catholic Church
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, the curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.
The president of the Bishops Conference is Archbishop Felix Alaba Adeosin Job of Ibadan.
The Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches comprise the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. In 2005, there were an estimated 19 million baptised Catholics in Nigeria. The recent Annuario Pontificio lists 25 million.
Nigeria, together with Congo Democratic Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, boasts of the highest number of priests in Africa. The boom in vocation to the priesthood in Nigeria is mainly in the eastern part (especially among the Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
ethnic group) which accounts for over 70 percent of the country's Catholic population.
The second papal visit to the country in 1998 witnessed the beatification of Blessed
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was an Igbo Nigerian ordained a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria on December 19, 1937...
. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
proclaimed him blessed at Oba
Oba, Nigeria
Oba-Igbomina , is an ancient Igbomina town in northeastern Yorubaland of Nigeria in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State...
, Onitsha Archdiocese, a local Church established by the apostle of eastern Nigerian, Bishop Shanahan.
Within Nigeria the hierarchy consists of:
|
- AbujaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of AbujaThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Abuja in Nigeria.-History:* 6 November 1981: Established as Mission sui iuris of Abuja from the Diocese of Minna...
- Benin CityRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Benin CityThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Benin City in Nigeria.-History:* 1884.05.02: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Niger from the Apostolic Vicariate of Two Guineas in Gabon...
- Auchi
- Issele-Uku
- Uromi
- Warri
- CalabarRoman Catholic Archdiocese of CalabarThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calabar is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Calabar in Nigeria.-History:...
- Ikot Ekpene
- Ogoja
- Port Harcourt
- Uyo
- JosRoman Catholic Archdiocese of JosThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jos is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Jos in Nigeria.- History :* 1934.04.09: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Jos from the Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Nigeria...
- Onitsha
- AbakalikiRoman Catholic Diocese of AbakalikiThe Diocese of Abakaliki is a Roman Catholic diocese in Nigeria. It was erected on 1 March, 1973 from the territory of the Diocese of Ogoja with the Right Reverend Thomas McGettrick SPS as its first bishop. It is a suffragan see to the Archdiocese of Onitsha...
- Awgu
- Awka
- Enugu
- Nnewi
- Nsukka
- Abakaliki
- Owerri
- AbaRoman Catholic Diocese of AbaAba Diocese was the formal Aba zone which excised from Umuahia and became a Diocese on April 2nd, 1990. Its first residential Bishop,Most Rev Dr. Vincent Valentine Ezeonyia, CSSp. was installed on the 2nd July, 1990 at Christ the King Church; he was ordained Bishop 1st July, 1990 at Mater Dei...
- Ahiara
- Okigwe
- Orlu
- Umuahia
- Aba
- Apostolic Vicariate of BomadiApostolic Vicariate of BomadiThe Apostolic Vicariate of Bomadi is a Roman Catholic apostolic Vicariate located in the city of Bomadi in Nigeria.-History:* March 17, 1991: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Bomadi from the Diocese of Port Hartcourt and Diocese of Warri...
- Apostolic Vicariate of KontagoraApostolic Vicariate of KontagoraThe Apostolic Vicariate of Kontagora is a Roman Catholic apostolic Vicariate located in the city of Kontagora in Nigeria.-History:* December 15, 1995: Established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Kontagora from the Diocese of Ilorin, Diocese of Minna and Diocese of Sokoto* May 21, 2002: Promoted as...