Lilongwe (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

George Desmond Tambala, O.C.D., Archbishop
Vincent Frederick Mwakhwawa, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 9 February 2011
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Malawi
Square Kilometers: 24,025 (9,279 Square Miles)
Description: Dowa, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, and Salima
Official Web Site: https://lilongwearchdiocese.org
Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, P.O. Box 33, Lilongwe, Malawi
Telephone: (1)752.766; 754.667

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa
- Latin Name: de Nyassa
- Erected: 31 July 1889
- Vicariate
- Country: Malawi
Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni
- Latin Name: Likuniensis
- Name Changed: 12 July 1951
- Vicariate
- Country: Malawi
Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe
- Latin Name: Lilongvensis
- Name Changed: 20 June 1958
- Vicariate
- Country: Malawi
Diocese of Lilongwe
- Latin Name: Lilongvensis
- Elevated: 25 April 1959
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Blantyre
- Country: Malawi

Past and Present Ordinaries

Joseph-Marie-Stanislas Dupont, M. Afr. † (16 Feb 1897 Appointed - 28 Feb 1911 Resigned)
Mathurin Guillemé, M. Afr. † (24 Feb 1911 Appointed - 27 Jun 1934 Retired)
Joseph Oscar Julien, M. Afr. † (10 Dec 1934 Appointed - 7 Dec 1950 Resigned)
Joseph Fady, M. Afr. † (10 Jul 1951 Appointed - 6 May 1972 Resigned)
Patrick Augustine Kalilombe, M. Afr. † (6 May 1972 Appointed - 20 Dec 1979 Resigned)
Matthias A. Chimole † (20 Dec 1979 Appointed - 11 Nov 1994 Retired)
Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye † (11 Nov 1994 Succeeded - 23 Jan 2001 Appointed, Archbishop of Blantyre)
Felix Eugenio Mkhori † (23 Jan 2001 Appointed - 4 Jul 2007 Retired)
Rémi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie, M. Afr. † (4 Jul 2007 Succeeded - 3 Jul 2013 Retired)
Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye † (3 Jul 2013 Appointed - 14 Dec 2020 Died)
George Desmond Tambala, O.C.D. (15 Oct 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa
31 July 1889	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Tanganyika	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (erected) (as Pro-Vicariate Apostolic)
12 February 1897	Elevated		Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (to Vicariate Apostolic)
3 December 1903	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa	Prefecture Apostolic of Shiré (erected)
8 April 1911	Territory Added		Vicariate Apostolic of Upper Congo {Congo Superiore} (Boundaries Changed) Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (Boundaries Changed) Vicariate Apostolic of Tanganyika (Boundaries Changed) Vicariate Apostolic of Unianyembé (Boundaries Changed) Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Victoria Nyanza {Victoria-Nyanza Settentrionale} (Boundaries Changed) Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Victoria Nyanza {Victoria-Nyanza Meridionale} (Boundaries Changed)
28 June 1912	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Zambese (Boundaries Expanded)
28 January 1913	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (Northern part)	Vicariate Apostolic of Bangueolo (erected)
28 July 1926	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (Area left of Longwa river up to 30th meridian and area left of the 30th meridian)	Prefecture Apostolic of Zambese
23 May 1933	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Bangueolo (South and East) Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (North)	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Loangwa (erected)
1 July 1937	Territory Lost	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Loangwa (Lundazi) Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (Petauke and Fort Jameson)	Prefecture Apostolic of Fort Jameson (erected)
1 July 1937	Territory Added	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Loangwa (North Nyassa, West Nyassa, Mbombera-Mzimbam, and Kasungn)	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa
8 May 1947	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa (Northern part up to the river Dwangwa)	Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Nyassa (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni
12 July 1951	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa	Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni
29 April 1956	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni (Dedza) Vicariate Apostolic of Zomba (Ncheu)	Vicariate Apostolic of Dedza (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe
20 June 1958	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni	Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe
Diocese of Lilongwe
25 April 1959	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe	Diocese of Lilongwe
Archdiocese of Lilongwe
9 February 2011	Elevated	Diocese of Lilongwe	Archdiocese of Lilongwe

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa

1950 68,674 500,000 13.7% 39 39 1,760 7 56 ap1951

Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni

Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe

Diocese of Lilongwe

1970 175,614 1,200,000 14.6% 11 55 66 2,660 74 126 16 ap1971

1978 257,179 1,627,179 15.8% 15 49 64 4,018 62 102 22 ap1981

1990 482,492 2,511,000 19.2% 32 58 90 5,361 70 158 25 ap1991

1999 446,488 4,000,000 11.2% 42 51 93 4,800 62 210 32 ap2000

2000 567,395 4,000,000 14.2% 41 50 91 6,235 61 215 32 ap2001

2001 561,395 3,630,000 15.5% 40 51 91 6,169 67 224 33 ap2002

2002 595,395 3,993,000 14.9% 36 52 88 6,765 69 238 33 ap2003

2003 598,800 3,997,000 15.0% 39 52 91 6,580 69 244 33 ap2004

2004 774,760 4,068,000 19.0% 60 52 112 6,917 61 263 33 ap2005

Archdiocese of Lilongwe

2013 1,601,000 5,231,000 30.6% 48 35 83 19,289 53 250 36 ap2014

2016 1,752,000 5,726,000 30.6% 60 49 109 16,073 65 239 37 ap2017

2019 1,925,600 6,294,700 30.6% 71 44 115 16,744 61 270 40 ap2020

2021 1,500,000 6,630,217 22.6% 65 44 109 13,761 62 310 41 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa
1950	68,674	500,000	13.7%	39		39	1,760	7	56		ap1951
Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni
Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe
Diocese of Lilongwe
1970	175,614	1,200,000	14.6%	11	55	66	2,660	74	126	16	ap1971
1978	257,179	1,627,179	15.8%	15	49	64	4,018	62	102	22	ap1981
1990	482,492	2,511,000	19.2%	32	58	90	5,361	70	158	25	ap1991
1999	446,488	4,000,000	11.2%	42	51	93	4,800	62	210	32	ap2000
2000	567,395	4,000,000	14.2%	41	50	91	6,235	61	215	32	ap2001
2001	561,395	3,630,000	15.5%	40	51	91	6,169	67	224	33	ap2002
2002	595,395	3,993,000	14.9%	36	52	88	6,765	69	238	33	ap2003
2003	598,800	3,997,000	15.0%	39	52	91	6,580	69	244	33	ap2004
2004	774,760	4,068,000	19.0%	60	52	112	6,917	61	263	33	ap2005
Archdiocese of Lilongwe
2013	1,601,000	5,231,000	30.6%	48	35	83	19,289	53	250	36	ap2014
2016	1,752,000	5,726,000	30.6%	60	49	109	16,073	65	239	37	ap2017
2019	1,925,600	6,294,700	30.6%	71	44	115	16,744	61	270	40	ap2020
2021	1,500,000	6,630,217	22.6%	65	44	109	13,761	62	310	41	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Matthias A. Chimole † (Bishop: 20 Dec 1979 to 11 Nov 1994)
Cornelius Chitsulo †
Joseph-Marie-Stanislas Dupont, M. Afr. † (Vicar Apostolic: 16 Feb 1897 to 28 Feb 1911)
Joseph Fady, M. Afr. † (Vicar Apostolic: 10 Jul 1951; Bishop: 25 Apr 1959 to 6 May 1972)
Mathurin Guillemé, M. Afr. † (Vicar Apostolic: 24 Feb 1911 to 27 Jun 1934)
Joseph Oscar Julien, M. Afr. † (Vicar Apostolic: 10 Dec 1934 to 7 Dec 1950)
Patrick Augustine Kalilombe, M. Afr. † (Bishop: 6 May 1972 to 20 Dec 1979)
Stanislaus Tobias Magombo † (Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Apr 2009 to 6 Jul 2010)
Felix Eugenio Mkhori † (Bishop: 23 Jan 2001 to 4 Jul 2007)
Rémi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie, M. Afr. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 18 Feb 2006; Bishop: 4 Jul 2007; Archbishop: 9 Feb 2011 to 3 Jul 2013)
Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye † (Coadjutor Bishop: 4 May 1993; Bishop: 11 Nov 1994 to 23 Jan 2001; Archbishop: 3 Jul 2013 to 14 Dec 2020)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 3, Page 199
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 30, Page 54, and Page 55
Vicariate Apostolic of Likuni
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 44, Page 46
Vicariate Apostolic of Lilongwe
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 50, Page 543
Diocese of Lilongwe
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 51, Page 793, to Page 796
Archdiocese of Lilongwe
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 103, Page 172, and Page 173

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