Archdiocese of Lubumbashi

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lubumbashi (Latin: Lubumbashien(sis)) is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

HeadquartersLubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Area61,828 km² (23,872 sq mi)

Population

Quick facts Archdiocese of LubumbashiArchidioecesis Lubumbashiensis Archidiocèse de Lubumbashi, Location ...

Archdiocese of Lubumbashi Archidioecesis Lubumbashiensis Archidiocèse de Lubumbashi

Lubumbashi Cathedral
Location
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Headquarters	Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Statistics
Area	61,828 km² (23,872 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2023) 3,796,000 2,064,000 (54.4%)
Parishes	84
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	5 August 1910; 116 years ago (1910-08-05)
Cathedral	Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Lubumbashi
Secular priests	409
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Metropolitan Archbishop	Fulgence Muteba Mugalu
Auxiliary Bishops	Jean-Marie Vianney Musul Masas

History

5 August 1910: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Katanga, on territory split from the Apostolic Vicariate of Léopoldville
18 July 1922: Lost territory to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Lulua Katanga (now its suffragan dioceses of Kamina and Kolwezi)
12 May 1925: Lost territory to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Luapula (now its suffragan Sakania–Kipushi)
22 March 1932: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Katanga, still exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See
10 November 1959: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Elisabethville
30 May 1966: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lubumbashi
13 November 1976: Lost territory to the suffragan Roman Catholic Diocese of Sakania–Kipushi
5 March 1977: Lost territory to the suffragan Roman Catholic Diocese of Kilwa–Kasenga
August 1985: Enjoyed a papal visit by Pope John Paul II.

The seat of the archbishop is the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (French: Cathédrale Saints Pierre et Paul) in Lubumbashi.

Metropolitan Archbishops of Lubumbashi (Latin Rite), below
- Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu (since 22 May 2021)
- Archbishop Jean-Pierre Tafunga Mbayo, S.D.B. (1 December 2010 – 31 March 2021)
- Archbishop Floribert Songasonga Mwitwa (22 May 1998 – 1 December 2010), resigned
- Archbishop Eugène Kabanga Songasonga (13 April 1967 – 25 March 1998), resigned
- Archbishop José Floriberto Cornelis, O.S.B. (10 November 1959 – 13 April 1967), resigned; see below
Vicars Apostolic of Katanga (Latin Rite), below
- Bishop José Floriberto Cornelis, O.S.B. (27 November 1958 – 10 November 1959); see above
- Bishop Jean-Félix de Hemptinne, O.S.B. (15 March 1932 – 6 February 1958); see below
Prefect Apostolic of Katanga (Latin Rite), below
- Father Jean-Félix de Hemptinne, O.S.B. (6 August 1910 – 15 March 1932); see above