Roman Catholic Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe

Coordinates: 0°20′26″N 6°44′05″E / 0.3406°N 6.7346°E / 0.3406; 6.7346
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Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe

Dioecesis Sancti Thomae in Insula
Location
CountrySão Tomé and Príncipe
MetropolitanImmediately subject to the Holy See
Statistics
Area1,001 km2 (386 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2015)
195,000
112,000 (57.4%)
Information
RiteLatin Rite
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopVacant
Bishops emeritusAbílio Rodas de Sousa Ribas, C.S.Sp.
Manuel António Mendes dos Santos, CMF

The Roman Catholic Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe (Latin: Sancti Thomae in Insula) is a diocese, immediately subject to the Holy See, with its seat in the city of São Tomé in São Tomé and Príncipe.[1][2] It covers the territory of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. As of 2015, 112,000 or 57.4% of the inhabitants of São Tomé and Príncipe were Catholic.[2]

History[edit]

The diocese was established on 3 November 1534, as the Diocese of Tomé from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Funchal in Portugal. The diocese initially included the Portuguese controlled or Christian areas of southwestern Africa. In 1596, it lost territory to the new diocese of São Salvador do Congo (today's Angola). in 1818 it lost territory to the new Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope (today's South Africa). In 1842 it lost territory to the new Apostolic Prefecture of the Two Guineas and Senegambia (much of central and west Africa). In 1924, the diocese was renamed Diocese of São Tomé. In 1957 it was renamed to its current name Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe.[2]

Churches[edit]

The cathedral is Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Graça (Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace) in São Tomé.[2]

Bishops[edit]

The bishops of the Diocese of (São) Tomé (and Príncipe):[2]

Ecclesiastical decoration[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 3 August 2017
  2. ^ a b c d e "Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 25 August 2016

0°20′26″N 6°44′05″E / 0.3406°N 6.7346°E / 0.3406; 6.7346