The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chipata () is a
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
located in
Chipata
Chipata is a city and administrative centre of the Eastern Province of Zambia and Chipata District. It was declared the 5th city of the country, after Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe and Livingstone, by President Edgar Lungu on 24 February 2017. The cit ...
in
Zambia
Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
.
History
* July 1, 1937: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Fort Jameson from the
Apostolic Vicariate of Nyassa Nyassa may refer to:
* Nyassa (singer), Australian singer, featured on the Hilltop Hoods' 2025 album ''Fall from the Light''
* Nyassa Company, a royal company which administered part of Mozambique between 1891 and 1929
* , a Portuguese-owned steams ...
in
Malawi
Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
* May 7, 1953: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Fort Jameson
* April 25, 1959: Promoted as Diocese of Fort Jameson
* April 15, 1968: Renamed as Diocese of Chipata
Bishops
* Prefects Apostolic of Fort Jameson (Roman rite)
** Fr. Fernand Martin, M. Afr. (1937.12.17 – 1946; ''Apostolic Administrator 1946 – 1947.03.07'')
** Fr. Firmin Courtemanche, M. Afr. (1947.03.07 – 1953.05.07 ''see below'')
* Vicar Apostolic of Fort Jameson (Roman rite)
** Bishop Firmin Courtemanche, M. Afr. (''see above'' 1953.05.07 – 1959.04.25 ''see below'')
* Bishops of Fort Jameson (Roman rite)
** Bishop Firmin Courtemanche, M. Afr. (''see above'' 1959.04.25 – 1968.04.15 ''see below'')
*
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
s of Chipata (Roman rite)
** Bishop
Firmin Courtemanche,
M. Afr. (''see above'' 1968.04.15 – 1970.11.11)
** Bishop
Medardo Joseph Mazombwe
Medardo Joseph Mazombwe (24 September 1931 – 29 August 2013) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was Zambia's first indigenous cardinal.
He was the former archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka (1996–2006) and Bish ...
(1970.11.11 – 1996.11.30), appointed Archbishop of Lusaka; future Cardinal
** Bishop
George Cosmas Zumaire Lungu (since 2002.12.23)
Auxiliary Bishop
*
Benjamin S. Phiri (2011-2020), appointed Bishop of Ndola
*
Gabriel Msipu Phiri (2023-present)
See also
*
Roman Catholicism in Zambia
Sources
GCatholic.org
Roman Catholic dioceses in Zambia
Christian organizations established in 1937
Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
1937 establishments in Northern Rhodesia
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Lusaka
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