Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Blantyre

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Blantyre (Latin: Archidioecesis Blantyren(sis)) is the Roman Catholic archdiocese for Blantyre in Malawi. The cathedral church of the archdiocese is the Our Lady of Wisdom Cathedral, Blantyre.

Archdiocese of Blantyre Archidioecesis Blantyrensis
Location
Country	Malawi
Statistics
Area	9,166 km2 (3,539 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2022) 5,016,000 3,196,000 (63.7%)
Parishes	43
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	April 25, 1959
Cathedral	Our Lady of Wisdom Cathedral
Patron saint	Our Lady Queen of All Hearts
Secular priests	201
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Archbishop	Thomas Luke Msusa
Suffragans	Zomba Chikwawa Mangochi

The Archdiocese of Blantyre is 9,166 square miles (23,740 km²). Out of a total population of 4,600,000, there are 1,133,850 Catholics. There are 78 priests and 287 religious. Currently, Thomas Luke Msusa SMM is the bishop of the diocese.

History

• 1903.12.03: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Shiré from Apostolic Vicariate of Nyassa
• 1908.04.14: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Shiré
• 1952.05.15: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Blantyre
• 1959.04.25: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Blantyre

Bishops

Ordinaries

• Prefect Apostolic of Shiré
  • Father Auguste Prézeau, S.M.M.:1903.12.03 - 1908.04.18 see below
• Vicars apostolic of Shiré
  • Auguste Prézeau, S.M.M.:see above 1908.04.18 - 1909.12.02
  • Louis-Joseph-Marie Auneau, S.M.M.:1910.05.09 - 1949.12.25
  • John Baptist Hubert Theunissen, S.M.M.:1949.12.25 – 1952.05.15 see below
• Vicar apostolic of Blantyre (Roman rite)
  • John Baptist Hubert Theunissen, S.M.M.:see above 1952.05.15 – 1959.04.25 see below
• Metropolitan archbishops of Blantyre (Roman rite)
  • John Baptist Hubert Theunissen, S.M.M.:see above 1959.04.25 – 1967.10.14
  • James Chiona:1967.11.29 – 2001.01.23
  • Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye:2001.01.23 - 2013.07.03; transferred to be Archbishop of Lilongwe due to a resignation
  • Thomas Luke Msusa:2013.11.21 -

Auxiliary Bishops

• James Chiona (1965-1967), appointed Archbishop here
• Montfort Stima (Sitima) (2010-2013), appointed Bishop of Mangochi

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

• Peter Martin Musikuwa, appointed Bishop of Chikwawa in 2003

Suffragan dioceses

• Diocese of Chikwawa
• Diocese of Mangochi
• Diocese of Zomba

See also

• List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Malawi