Archdiocese of Maputo

Archidioecesis Maputensis

Bishop(s)

João Carlos Hatoa Nunes, Archbishop
Osório Citora Afonso, I.M.C., Auxiliary Bishop
Tonito José Francisco Xavier Muananoua, Auxiliary Bishop
Francisco Chimoio, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 18 September 1976
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Mozambique
Square Kilometers: 26,358 (10,180 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.arquidiocesedemaputo.org/
Mailing Address: Paco Arquiepeiscopal, Avenida Eduardo Mondlane 1448, Maputo, Mocambique
Telephone: 21.32.62.40
Fax: 21.32.18.73

Historical Details

Apostolic Administration of Mozambico
- Erected: 21 January 1612
- Country: Mozambique
Territorial Prelature of Mozambico
- Latin Name: Monzambicensis
- Elevated: 1783
- Country: Mozambique
Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques
- Latin Name: de Lourenço Marques
- Elevated: 4 September 1940
- Metropolitan See
- Country: Mozambique

Past and Present Ordinaries

Maria José a Santo Tomas, O.P. † (18 Jul 1783 Appointed - 18 Jul 1801 Died)
Vasco José a Domina Nostra de Bona Morte Lobo, C.R.S.A. † (26 Jun 1805 Appointed - 17 Dec 1811 Resigned)
Joaquim de Nossa Senhora de Nazareth Oliveira e Abreu, O.F.M. Ref. † (17 Dec 1811 Appointed - 23 Aug 1819 Confirmed, Bishop of São Luís do Maranhão)
Bartholomeu de Martyribus Maya, O.C.D. † (10 Nov 1819 Appointed - 1828 Died)
Antonio Tomas da Silva Leitão e Castro † (30 Jan 1883 Appointed - 27 Mar 1884 Appointed, Bishop of Angola e Congo)
Henrique José Reed da Silva † (27 Mar 1884 Appointed - 14 Mar 1887 Appointed, Bishop of São Tomé of Meliapore)
Antonio Dias Ferreira † (14 Mar 1887 Appointed - 1 Jun 1891 Appointed, Bishop of Angola e Congo)
António José de Souza Barroso † (12 Feb 1891 Appointed - 11 Oct 1897 Appointed, Bishop of São Tomé of Meliapore)
Sebastião José Pereira † (16 Nov 1897 Appointed - 23 Jul 1900 Appointed, Bishop of Damão)
Antonio José Gomes Cardoso † (17 Dec 1900 Appointed - 23 Jul 1901 Appointed, Bishop of Angola e Congo)
António Moutinho † (21 Aug 1901 Appointed - 14 Nov 1904 Appointed, Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde)
Francisco Ferreira da Silva † (14 Nov 1904 Appointed - 8 May 1920 Died)
Joaquim Rafael Maria d’Assunçâo Pitinho, O.F.M. † (16 Dec 1920 Appointed - 15 Nov 1935 Appointed, Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde)
Teodosio Clemente de Gouveia † (18 May 1936 Appointed - 6 Feb 1962 Died)
Custódio Alvim Pereira † (3 Aug 1962 Appointed - 26 Aug 1974 Resigned)
Alexandre José Maria dos Santos, O.F.M. † (23 Dec 1974 Appointed - 22 Feb 2003 Retired)
Francisco Chimoio, O.F.M. Cap. (22 Feb 2003 Appointed - 5 May 2023 Retired)
João Carlos Hatoa Nunes (5 May 2023 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Apostolic Administration of Mozambico
21 January 1612	Erected	Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe	Apostolic Administration of Mozambico (erected)
Territorial Prelature of Mozambico
1783	Elevated	Apostolic Administration of Mozambico	Territorial Prelature of Mozambico
4 September 1940	Territory Lost	Territorial Prelature of Mozambico (Zambézia (Beira, Tete, and Quelimane))	Diocese of Beira (erected)
4 September 1940	Territory Lost	Territorial Prelature of Mozambico (Niassa (Mocambique and Pòrto Amelia))	Diocese of Nampula (erected)
Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques
4 September 1940	Elevated	Territorial Prelature of Mozambico (Sui do Save (Lourenço Marques and Inhambane))	Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques
3 August 1962	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques (Inhambane)	Diocese of Inhambane (erected)
19 June 1970	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques (Gaza)	Diocese of João Belo (erected)
Archdiocese of Maputo
18 September 1976	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques	Archdiocese of Maputo

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

Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques

1949 104,770 1,290,315 8.1% 24 41 65 1,611 21 145 31 ap1951

1970 442,818 1,396,551 31.7% 128 95 223 1,985 139 424 59 ap1971

Archdiocese of Maputo

1980 289,648 908,226 31.9% 5 37 42 6,896 51 110 40 ap1981

1990 304,700 1,019,000 29.9% 8 65 73 4,173 97 226 40 ap1991

1999 475,000 3,850,000 12.3% 19 89 108 4,398 118 189 39 ap2000

2000 475,000 3,850,000 12.3% 23 89 112 4,241 118 189 39 ap2001

2001 476,000 3,859,000 12.3% 18 89 107 4,448 118 189 39 ap2002

2002 464,000 3,859,000 12.0% 18 89 107 4,336 124 189 41 ap2003

2003 675,000 3,850,000 17.5% 19 69 88 7,670 125 210 40 ap2004

2004 675,000 3,850,000 17.5% 21 59 80 8,437 115 214 40 ap2005

2013 1,134,000 4,661,000 24.3% 29 56 85 13,341 232 147 44 ap2014

2016 1,223,000 3,040,000 40.2% 34 64 98 12,479 172 147 44 ap2017

2019 1,323,000 3,288,800 40.2% 26 68 94 14,074 226 148 46 ap2020

2021 1,482,700 3,685,435 40.2% 38 68 106 13,987 226 148 46 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques
1949	104,770	1,290,315	8.1%	24	41	65	1,611	21	145	31	ap1951
1970	442,818	1,396,551	31.7%	128	95	223	1,985	139	424	59	ap1971
Archdiocese of Maputo
1980	289,648	908,226	31.9%	5	37	42	6,896	51	110	40	ap1981
1990	304,700	1,019,000	29.9%	8	65	73	4,173	97	226	40	ap1991
1999	475,000	3,850,000	12.3%	19	89	108	4,398	118	189	39	ap2000
2000	475,000	3,850,000	12.3%	23	89	112	4,241	118	189	39	ap2001
2001	476,000	3,859,000	12.3%	18	89	107	4,448	118	189	39	ap2002
2002	464,000	3,859,000	12.0%	18	89	107	4,336	124	189	41	ap2003
2003	675,000	3,850,000	17.5%	19	69	88	7,670	125	210	40	ap2004
2004	675,000	3,850,000	17.5%	21	59	80	8,437	115	214	40	ap2005
2013	1,134,000	4,661,000	24.3%	29	56	85	13,341	232	147	44	ap2014
2016	1,223,000	3,040,000	40.2%	34	64	98	12,479	172	147	44	ap2017
2019	1,323,000	3,288,800	40.2%	26	68	94	14,074	226	148	46	ap2020
2021	1,482,700	3,685,435	40.2%	38	68	106	13,987	226	148	46	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Francisco Chimoio, O.F.M. Cap. (Archbishop: 22 Feb 2003 to 5 May 2023)
Osório Citora Afonso, I.M.C. (Auxiliary Bishop: 21 Sep 2023)
António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo (Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Dec 2018 to 8 Mar 2022)
João Carlos Hatoa Nunes (Priest: 17 Jul 1995; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 May 2011 to 2 Jan 2017; Coadjutor Archbishop: 15 Nov 2022; Archbishop: 5 May 2023)
Adriano Langa, O.F.M. (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Oct 1997 to 1 Apr 2005)
Júlio Duarte Langa
Ernesto Maguengue (Priest: 14 May 1989 to 24 Jun 2004)
Tonito José Francisco Xavier Muananoua (Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Mar 2023)
Lucio Andrice Muandula (Priest: 14 May 1989 to 24 Jun 2004)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Custódio Alvim Pereira † (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 Dec 1958; Archbishop: 3 Aug 1962 to 26 Aug 1974)
Antonio Tomas da Silva Leitão e Castro † (Prelate: 30 Jan 1883 to 27 Mar 1884)
Joaquim Rafael Maria d’Assunçâo Pitinho, O.F.M. † (Prelate: 16 Dec 1920 to 15 Nov 1935)
Teodosio Clemente de Gouveia † (Prelate: 18 May 1936; Archbishop: 18 Jan 1941 to 6 Feb 1962)
Antonio Dias Ferreira † (Prelate: 14 Mar 1887 to 1 Jun 1891)
Alexandre José Maria dos Santos, O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 23 Dec 1974 to 22 Feb 2003)
Francisco Ferreira da Silva † (Prelate: 14 Nov 1904 to 8 May 1920)
Antonio José Gomes Cardoso † (Prelate: 17 Dec 1900 to 23 Jul 1901)
Ernesto Gonçalves da Costa, O.F.M. † (Apostolic Administrator: 27 Aug 1974 to 9 Mar 1975)
Vasco José a Domina Nostra de Bona Morte Lobo, C.R.S.A. † (Prelate: 26 Jun 1805 to 17 Dec 1811)
Bartholomeu de Martyribus Maya, O.C.D. † (Prelate: 10 Nov 1819 to 1828)
António Moutinho † (Prelate: 21 Aug 1901 to 14 Nov 1904)
Joaquim de Nossa Senhora de Nazareth Oliveira e Abreu, O.F.M. Ref. † (Prelate: 17 Dec 1811 to 23 Aug 1819)
Sebastião José Pereira † (Prelate: 16 Nov 1897 to 23 Jul 1900)
Henrique José Reed da Silva † (Prelate: 27 Mar 1884 to 14 Mar 1887)
Maria José a Santo Tomas, O.P. † (Prelate: 18 Jul 1783 to 18 Jul 1801)
António José de Souza Barroso † (Prelate: 12 Feb 1891 to 11 Oct 1897)

Source(s)

Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 33, Page 14, to Page 18
Archdiocese of Maputo
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 68, Page 629, and Page 630

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