Tripoli (Vicariate Apostolic) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

George Bugeja, O.F.M., Vicar Apostolic

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Vicariate Apostolic
Name Changed: 22 June 1939
Vicariate
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Libya
Square Kilometers: 1,000,000 (386,250 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: San Francesco Catholic Church, P.O. Box 365, Dahra, Tripoli, Libya
Telephone: (021)892.7715.986

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Tripoli
- Latin Name: Tripolitana
- Erected: 1630
- Prefecture
- Country: Libya
Vicariate Apostolic of Libia
- Latin Name: de Libia
- Elevated: 23 February 1913
- Vicariate
- Country: Libya
Vicariate Apostolic of Tripolitana
- Latin Name: de Tripolitana
- Name Changed: 3 February 1927
- Vicariate
- Country: Libya

Past and Present Ordinaries

Ludovico Antomelli, O.F.M. Ref. † (23 Feb 1913 Appointed - 10 Mar 1919 Appointed, Bishop of Bagnoregio (Bagnorea))
Giacinto Tonizza, O.F.M. † (7 Aug 1919 Appointed - 16 Apr 1935 Died)
Camillo Vittorino Facchinetti, O.F.M. † (9 Mar 1936 Appointed - 25 Dec 1950 Died)
Vitale Bonifacio Bertoli, O.F.M. † (5 Apr 1951 Appointed - 10 Mar 1967 Died)
Guido Attilio Previtali, O.F.M. † (26 Jun 1969 Appointed - 3 May 1985 Resigned)
Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, O.F.M. † (3 May 1985 Appointed - 5 Feb 2017 Retired)
George Bugeja, O.F.M. (5 Feb 2017 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Tripoli
1630	Erected	Diocese of Islas Canarias {Canary Islands}	Prefecture Apostolic of Tripoli (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Libia
23 February 1913	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Tripoli	Vicariate Apostolic of Libia
3 February 1927	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Libia (Cyrenaica)	Vicariate Apostolic of Cirenaica (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Tripolitana
3 February 1927	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Libia	Vicariate Apostolic of Tripolitana
22 June 1939	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Tripolitana (Misurata)	Prefecture Apostolic of Misurata (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Tripoli
22 June 1939	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Tripolitana	Vicariate Apostolic of Tripoli

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 Tripoli

1949 40,000 380,000 10.5% 31 31 1,290 30 115 18 ap1951

1969 30,000 635,000 4.7% 20 20 1,500 37 9 ap1971

1980 30,000 1,591,000 1.9% 2 5 7 4,285 5 50 2 ap1981

1990 30,000 3,040,000 1.0% 1 4 5 6,000 4 30 1 ap1991

1999 50,000 4,000,000 1.3% 4 4 8 6,250 4 32 1 ap2000

2000 70,000 4,000,000 1.8% 5 3 8 8,750 3 27 1 ap2001

2001 70,000 4,000,000 1.8% 3 4 7 10,000 4 27 1 ap2002

2002 70,000 4,000,000 1.8% 4 4 8 8,750 4 29 1 ap2003

2003 70,000 4,000,000 1.8% 3 6 9 7,777 6 30 1 ap2004

2004 70,000 4,500,000 1.6% 2 6 8 8,750 6 30 1 ap2005

2010 150,000 5,500,000 2.7% 1 5 6 25,000 6 28 1 ap2011

2014 50,000 6,204,000 .8% 1 4 5 10,000 6 12 1 ap2015

2017 15,160 6,668,430 .2% 1 1 15,160 2 8 2 ap2018

2020 15,540 6,834,000 .2% 1 1 15,540 1 8 2 ap2021

2022 15,860 6,977,000 .2% 1 1 15,860 1 6 2 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Tripoli
1949	40,000	380,000	10.5%		31	31	1,290	30	115	18	ap1951
1969	30,000	635,000	4.7%		20	20	1,500	37		9	ap1971
1980	30,000	1,591,000	1.9%	2	5	7	4,285	5	50	2	ap1981
1990	30,000	3,040,000	1.0%	1	4	5	6,000	4	30	1	ap1991
1999	50,000	4,000,000	1.3%	4	4	8	6,250	4	32	1	ap2000
2000	70,000	4,000,000	1.8%	5	3	8	8,750	3	27	1	ap2001
2001	70,000	4,000,000	1.8%	3	4	7	10,000	4	27	1	ap2002
2002	70,000	4,000,000	1.8%	4	4	8	8,750	4	29	1	ap2003
2003	70,000	4,000,000	1.8%	3	6	9	7,777	6	30	1	ap2004
2004	70,000	4,500,000	1.6%	2	6	8	8,750	6	30	1	ap2005
2010	150,000	5,500,000	2.7%	1	5	6	25,000	6	28	1	ap2011
2014	50,000	6,204,000	.8%	1	4	5	10,000	6	12	1	ap2015
2017	15,160	6,668,430	.2%		1	1	15,160	2	8	2	ap2018
2020	15,540	6,834,000	.2%		1	1	15,540	1	8	2	ap2021
2022	15,860	6,977,000	.2%		1	1	15,860	1	6	2	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Ludovico Antomelli, O.F.M. Ref. † (Vicar Apostolic: 23 Feb 1913 to 10 Mar 1919)
Vitale Bonifacio Bertoli, O.F.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 5 Apr 1951 to 10 Mar 1967)
Camillo Vittorino Facchinetti, O.F.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 9 Mar 1936 to 25 Dec 1950)
Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, O.F.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 May 1985 to 5 Feb 2017)
Guido Attilio Previtali, O.F.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 26 Jun 1969 to 3 May 1985)
Giacinto Tonizza, O.F.M. † (Vicar Apostolic: 7 Aug 1919 to 16 Apr 1935)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Libia
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 5, Page 234, and Page 235
Vicariate Apostolic of Tripolitana
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 19, Page 89, and Page 90
Vicariate Apostolic of Tripoli
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 31, Page 401

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Vicariate Apostolic of Tripoli

Vicariatus Apostolicus Tripolitanus