Archdiocese of Cotonou
Catholic archdiocese in Benin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Archdiocese of Cotonou (Latin: Archidioecesis Cotonuensis) is the Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Cotonou in Benin. It is the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province of Cotonou.
Archdiocese of Cotonou Archidioecesis Cotonuensis French: Archidiocese de Cotonou | |
|---|---|
| catholic | |
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Miséricorde (Our Lady of Mercy) | |
| Location | |
| Country | Benin |
| Territory | Atlantique Department and Littoral Department |
| Episcopal conference | Episcopal Conference of Benin |
| Ecclesiastical province | Cotonou |
| Coordinates | 6°21′23″N 2°26′21″E |
| Statistics | |
Population
|
|
| Parishes | 111 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 14 September 1955 |
| Cathedral | Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde |
| Secular priests | 354[a] |
| Language | French |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Archbishop | Roger Houngbédji |
| Bishops emeritus | Antoine Ganyé |
| Website | |
archidiocesedecotonou (in French) | |
 | |
History
- 26 June 1883: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Dahomey from the Apostolic Vicariate of Benin Coast, Nigeria.
- 25 May 1901: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Dahomey.
- 13 May 1948: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Ouidah.
- 14 September 1955: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotonou.
- 1983: Foundation of the organisation Charity Service for the Integral Development of Man (SCDIH; French: Service de la Charité pour le développement intégral de l'homme) as the social arm of the diocese. It is a member of Caritas Benin.[2]
Special churches
The seat of the archbishop is the cathedral of Notre Dame de Miséricorde (Our Lady of Mercy) in Cotonou. Basilique de l'Immaculée Conception (Basilica of the Immaculate Conception) is a minor basilica in Cotonou.
Bishops
- Metropolitan Archbishops of Cotonou, in reverse chronological order
- Roger Houngbédji: 25 June 2016 – present[3]
- Antoine Ganyé: 21 August 2010 – 25 June 2016; formerly bishop of Dassa-Zoume, Benin
- Marcel Honorat Léon Agboton: 5 March 2005 – 21 August 2010
- Nestor Assogba: 29 October 1999 – 5 March 2005
- Isidore de Souza: 27 December 1990 – 13 March 1999
- Christophe Adimou: 28 June 1971 – 27 December 1990
- Bernardin Gantin: 5 January 1960 – 28 June 1971; appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; future cardinal
Coadjutor archbishop
- Isidore de Souza (1981-1990)
Auxiliary bishop
- Bernardin Gantin (1956-1960), appointed Archbishop here; future cardinal
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
- Lucien Monsi-Agboka, appointed Bishop of Abomey in 1963
- Martin Adjou Moumouni, appointed Bishop of N'Dali in 1999
- Eugène Cyrille Houndékon, appointed Bishop of Abomey in 2007
Suffragan dioceses
See also
Notes
- Annuario Pontificio (2021) via Catholic-Hierarchy.org[1]
