Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri (Latin: Nyerien(sis)) is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Nyeri, one of four in Kenya, Eastern Africa, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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The cathedral episcopal see of the archbishop is Our Lady of Consolata Cathedral, in Nyeri.
History
- September 14, 1905: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Kenya, on colonial territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Zanguebar (now Archdiocese of Nairobi)
- July 12, 1909: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Kenya, hence entitled to a titular bishop by papal brief Supremi Apostolatus by Pius IX
- March 10, 1926: Renamed after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Nyeri, having lost territory to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Meru (now a suffragan diocese)
- March 23, 1953: Promoted as Diocese of Nyeri by papal bulla Quemadmodum ad Nos by Pius XII
- Lost territory on 25 November 1964 to establish the Diocese of Marsabit, now a suffragan
- Lost territory again on 17 March 1983 to establish the Diocese of Murang’a, again a suffragan
- May 21, 1990: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nyeri by papal bulla Cum in Keniana di papa by John Paul II
- Lost territory on 5 December 2002 to establish the Diocese of Nyahururu, as a suffragan.
Ecclesiastical Province
Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own Archdiocese and the following Suffragan sees :
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 490,000 Catholics (34.2% of 1,434,000 total) on 8,450 km² in 48 parishes and 39 missions with 133 priests (121 diocesan, 12 religious), 222 lay religious (72 brothers, 150 sisters) and 73 seminarians.
Ordinaries
(all Roman rite)
- Ecclesiastical superiors of Missio sui iuris of Kenya : not available
- Apostolic Vicars of Kenya
- Filippo Perlo, Consolata Missionaries (I.M.C.) (born Italy) (1909.07.15 – 1925.11.18), Titular Bishop of Maronea (1909.07.15 – 1948.11.04), later Superior General of Consolata Missionaries (1926.02.16 – retired 1929.01.11), died 1948
- Giuseppe Perrachon, I.M.C. (born Italy) (1925.12.18 – 1926.01.04 see below), Titular Bishop of Centuria (1925.12.18 – death 1944.04.14)
- Apostolic Vicars of Nyeri
- Bishop-elect Giuseppe Perrachon, I.M.C. (see above 1926.01.04 – retired 1930.10.18), Titular Bishop of Centuria (1925.12.18 – death 1944.04.14)
- Carlo Re, I.M.C. (1931.12.14 – 1947) (born Italy), Titular Bishop of Hadrumetum (1931.12.14 – 1951.12.29), also Apostolic Administrator of Meru (Kenya) (1932 – 1936.09.16), later Bishop of Ampurias (Italy) (1951.12.29 – 1961.02.10) and Bishop of Civita–Tempio (Italy) (1951.12.29 – retired 1961.02.10), emeritate as Titular Bishop of Aspona (1961.02.10 – death 1978.08.12)
- Carlo Maria Cavallera, I.M.C. (1947.06.19 – 1953.03.25 see below), Titular Bishop of Sufes (1947.06.19 – 1953.03.25), also Apostolic Administrator of Meru (Kenya) (1947 – 1954.03.03)
- Suffragan Bishops of Nyeri
- Carlo Maria Cavallera, I.M.C. (born Italy) (see above 1953.03.25 – 1964.11.25), later Bishop of Marsabit (Kenya) (1964.11.25 – retired 1981), died 1990
- Caesar Gatimu (1964.11.25 – death 1987.02.20) (first native incumbent), previously Titular Bishop of Abila in Palæstina (1961.04.18 – 1964.11.25) & Auxiliary Bishop of Nyeri (1961.04.18 – 1964.11.25)
- Nicodemus Kirima (1988.03.12 – 1990.05.21 see below), previously Bishop of Mombasa (Kenya) (1978.02.27 – 1988.03.12); also President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (1988 – 1991 and 1989 – 1997)
- Metropolitan Archbishops of Nyeri
- Nicodemus Kirima (see above 1990.05.21 - death 2007.11.27)
- Apostolic Administrator (2007.12 – 2008.04.19) John Njue, while Metropolitan Archbishop of Nairobi (Kenya) (2007.10.06 – ...) and Cardinal-Priest of Preziosissimo Sangue di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo (2007.11.24 [2008.02.17] – ...); previously Bishop of Embu (Kenya) (1986.06.09 – 2002.03.09), President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (1997 – 2003), Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri (2002.03.09 – 2007.10.06), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Isiolo (Kenya) (2005 – 2006.01.25), President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (2006 – 2015), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Murang’a (Kenya) (2006.11 – 2009.04.04)
- Peter J. Kairo (19 April 2008 - retired 23 April 2017), previously Bishop of Murang’a (Kenya) (1983.03.17 – 1997.04.21), Bishop of Nakuru (Kenya) (1997.04.21 – 2008.04.19)
- Anthony Muheria (2017.04.23 – ...): previously Bishop of Embu (Kenya) (2003.10.30 – 2008.06.28), Bishop of Kitui (Kenya) (2008.06.28 – 2017.04.23), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Machakos (Kenya) (2015.02 – 2017.04.23).
Parishes by Deanery
The Archdiocese of Nyeri consists of eight Deaneries, which comprise the following parishes :
- Nyeri Municipality Deanery
- Cathedral Parish
- St. Jude Parish
- King’ong’o Parish
- Mwenji Parish
- Kimuiru Parish
- Mathari Institutions Chaplaincy
- St.Charles Lwanga Parish
- Murukwe-ini Deanery
- Murukwe-ini Parish
- Kaheti Parish
- Kimondo Parish
- Gikondi Parish
- Othaya Deanery
- Othaya Parish
- Kariko Parish
- Birithia Parish
- Karima Parish
- Kagicha Parish
- Karuthi Parish
- Kigumo Parish
- Nanyuk Deanery
- Nanyuki Parish
- Dol Dol Parish
- Matanya Parish
- St. Teresa Parish
- Kalalu Parish
- Narumoru Deanery
- Narumoru Town Parish
- Irigithathi Parish
- Thegu Parish
- Kiganjo Parish
- Munyu Parish
- Karatina Deanery
- Karatina Parish
- Miiri Parish
- Giakaibei Parish
- Gikumbo Parish
- Gathugu Parish
- Ngandu Parish
- Kabiru-ini Parish
- Kahira-ini Parish
- Tetu Deanery
- Tetu Parish
- Wamagana Parish
- Kigogo-ini Parish
- Itheguri Parish
- Gititu Parish
- Kagaita Parish
- Giakanja Parish
- Karangia Parish
- Gatarakwa Deanery
- Mweiga Parish
- Endarasha Parish
- Gatarakwa Parish
- Karemeno Parish
- Mugunda Parish
- Sirima Parish
- Winyumiririe Parish
- Kamariki Parish
Contacts
Nyeri Catholic Secretariat, P.O. Box 288 - 10100, Nyeri. Tel: +254 721 785 169
See also
Sources and external links
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Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Vicariate Apostolic of Kenia. |
- GCatholic.org - data for all sections
- archdiocese
- Vicariate Apostolic of Kenia, in Catholic Encyclopedia, New York, Encyclopedia Press, 1913