Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Huambo

Archdiocese of Huambo Archidioecesis Huambensis
Location
Country	Angola
Statistics
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 2,530,000 1,552,000 (61.3%)
Parishes	43
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	9 September 1940 (As Diocese of Nova Lisboa) 3 February 1977 (As Archdiocese of Huambo)
Cathedral	Marian Cathedral of the Conception of Our Lady
Secular priests	75 (2013)
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Archbishop	José de Queirós Alves, C.SS.R.

The Archdiocese of Huambo (Latin: Archidioecesis Huambensis) is a Latin Metropolitan archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Angola.

The cathedral see of the archbishop is the Marian Cathedral of the Conception of Our Lady (Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Conceição), in Huambo.

By 2013, the archdiocese had approximately 1.5 million Roman Catholics and 75 diocesan priests.

History

On 9 September 1940, the Diocese of Nova Lisboa was established on assembled territories split off from the Diocese of São Paulo de Loanda and mission sui iuris of Cunene, mainly to serve the growing European population in what was then the colony of Portuguese Angola.

As time went on, it shed territory due to the creation of other dioceses :

• on 27 July 1955 to establish the then Diocese of Sá da Bandeira (now the Archiocese of Lubango)
• on 6 June on 1970 to establish its future suffragan diocese, the Diocese of Benguela
• on 10 October 1975 to establish the Diocese of Serpa Pinto (later renamed the Diocese of Menongue) and the Diocese of Pereira de Eça (later renamed the Diocese of Ondjiva).

On 3 February 1977, the Diocese of Nova Lisboa was promoted and renamed the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Huambo. In June 1992, it enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope John Paul II.

Episcopal Ordinaries

(all Roman Rite) † = deceased

Suffragan Bishops of Nova Lisboa

• † Daniel Gomes Junqueira, Holy Ghost Fathers (C.S.Sp.) (January 28, 1941 – death June 29, 1970), previously Apostolic Prefect of Cubango in Angola (Angola) (1938 – 1941.01.28)
• † Américo Henriques (February 19, 1972 – retired April 13, 1976, died 2006); previously Titular Bishop of Tisili (1966.07.03 – 1971.02.02) & Auxiliary Bishop of Lamego (Portugal) (1966.07.03 – 1967.04.15), promoted Coadjutor Bishop of Lamego (1967.04.15 – 1971.02.02) and succeeded as Bishop of Lamego (1971.02.02 – 1972.02.19)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Huambo

• † Manuel Franklin da Costa (February 3, 1977 – September 12, 1986), also President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (1982 – 1990); previously Bishop of Henrique de Carvalho (Angola) (1975.08.10 – 1977.02.03); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubango (Angola) (1986.09.12 – retired 1997.01.15, died 2003)
• † Francisco Viti September 12, 1986 – retired July 31, 2003); previously Bishop of Serpa Pinto (now Menongue; Angola) (1975.08.10 – 1979.05.16), restyled Bishop of Menongue (Angola) (1979.05.16 – 1986.09.12)
• Apostolic Administrator Oscar Lino Lopes Fernandes Braga (31 July 2003 – 3 May 2004), while Bishop of suffragan see Benguela (Angola) (1974.11.20 – 2008.02.18)
• José de Queirós Alves, C.SS.R. (May 3, 2004 – ...), former Bishop of Menongue (Angola) (1986.09.12 – 2004.05.03), also stayed Apostolic Administrator of his former see Menongue (2004.06.27 – 2005.08.03)

Priests of the Archdiocese who became bishops

• † Mateus Feliciano Augusto Tomás (Bishop of the Diocese of Namibe, 21 March 2009 — 30 October 2010

Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's archbishopric and the following suffragan sees :

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Benguela
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Kwito-Bié

Demographics

Statistics

Year	Population			Priests				Permanent Deacons	Religious		Parishes
	Catholics	Total	%	Diocesan	Religious	Total Priests	Catholics per Priest		Male	Female
1950	394,621	1,284,668	30.7	13	102	115	3,431	-	114	98	37
1966	754,765	1,327,913	56.8	69	97	166	4,546	-	145	185	59
1970	880,000	1,670,000	52.7	86	79	165	5,333	-	136	204	29
1980	767,000	1,330,000	57.7	27	22	49	15,653	-	60	56	34
1990	1,088,004	1,750,000	62.2	30	23	53	20,528	-	102	134	55
1999	1,000,000	2,890,000	34.6	27	22	49	20,408	-	209	165	42
2000	1,290,000	2,336,211	55.2	32	21	53	24,339	-	174	156	20
2001	1,170,00	2,072,586	56.5	39	23	62	18,870	-	132	152	20
2002	1,119,590	2,012,180	55.6	41	26	67	16,710	-	114	158	20
2003	1,056,000	1,956,000	54.0	43	22	65	16,246	-	130	170	20
2004	1,120,000	1,956,000	57.3	51	20	71	15,774	-	119	173	42
2006	1,278,000	2,083,000	61.4	57	20	77	16,597	-	85	150	42
2013	1,552,000	2,530,000	61.3	74	21	95	16,336	-	99	179	43

See also

• List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Angola

Source and External links

• GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links