The Roman Catholic Diocese of Warri () 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 the city of

Warri The city of Warri is an oil hub within South-South Nigeria and houses an annex of the Delta State Government House. Warri City is one of the major hubs of the petroleum industry in Nigeria. Warri, Udu, Okpe and Uvwie are the commercial ...

in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches, including those of both Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity, that have traditional hierarchical structures. An ecclesiastical province consist ...

Benin City Benin City serves as the Capital city, capital and largest Metropolitan area, metropolitan centre of Edo State, situated in Nigeria, southern Nigeria. It ranks as the List of Nigerian cities by population, fourth-most populous city in Niger ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

History

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Warri, located in Delta State, Nigeria, was erected on 10 March 1964 by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

.Brief History of the Catholic Diocese of Warri
Catholic Diocese of Warri. Retrieved 12 May 2025. It was carved out from the then- Diocese of Benin City (now the Archdiocese of Benin City), and initially comprised eight parishes: Warri, Aragba, Ashaka, Sapele, Okpara Inland, Ozoro, Ughelli, and Bomadi. The first bishop of Warri was Lucas Olu Chukwuka Nwaezeapu, who served from 10 March 1964 until 10 September 1983. After a period of vacancy, Bishop Edmund Joseph Fitzgibbon, S.P.S., was appointed on 31 August 1991 and served until 3 March 1997. He was succeeded by Bishop Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S., who led the diocese until his appointment as Archbishop of Benin City on 24 December 2007. Bishop John 'Oke Afareha succeeded him on 29 March 2010 and served until his retirement on 18 April 2022. The current bishop,

Anthony Ovayero Ewherido Anthony Ovayero Ewherido (born 8 October 1960) is a Nigerian Catholic priest and the Bishop of Catholic diocese of Warri. He was appointed by Pope Francis on 28 December 2022 and installed as Bishop on 9 February 2023. Background and early lif ...

, was appointed on 28 December 2022 and consecrated on 9 February 2023.The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Warri: Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido
Catholic Diocese of Warri. Retrieved 12 May 2025. The diocese's principal church is th

located along Warri–Sapele Road in the Agbasa area of Warri.Warri Deanery
Catholic Diocese of Warri. Retrieved 12 May 2025. As of 2025, the diocese comprises seven deaneries and 91 parishes or chaplaincies, ministering to a Catholic population of approximately 106,298 faithful. The diocese also oversees 30 schools and 8 health institutions.Diocesan Statistics
Catholic Diocese of Warri. Retrieved 12 May 2025.

Bishops of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Warri

The Diocese of Warri has been led by several bishops since its establishment. Below is a list of the bishops, including the current leadership:

Current Bishop

* Most Rev.

Appointed by Pope Francis on 28 December 2022 and installed on 9 February 2023.

Previous Bishops

* Most Rev. John Okeoghene Afareha Served from 29 March 2010 until his retirement on 18 April 2022. * Most Rev. Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S. Served from 3 March 1997 to 24 December 2007. * Most Rev. Edmund Joseph Fitzgibbon, S.P.S. Served from 31 August 1991 to 3 March 1997. * Most Rev. Lucas Olu Chukwuka Nwaezeapu Served from 10 March 1964 to 10 September 1983.

Sources

GCatholic.org Information

Eje

s Gist News

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Warri Roman Catholic dioceses in Nigeria Christian organizations established in 1964 Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Benin City