Catholic Church in Nigeria


Catholic Church in Nigeria
Type National polity
Classification Catholic
Governance Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria
Pope Pope Francis
President Augustine Obiora Akubeze
Region Nigeria
Language English, Latin
Members 22.6 million (2010)
Official website Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria

The Catholic Church in Nigeria is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, the curia in Rome, and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The president of the CBCN is Augustine Obiora Akubeze, Archbishop of Benin city.[1]

The Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches comprise the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. In 2005, there were an estimated 19 million baptised Catholics in Nigeria [2] and 22.6 million in 2010.[3]

Nigeria, together with Congo Democratic Republic, boasts of the highest number of priests in Africa. The boom in vocation to the priesthood in Nigeria is mainly in the eastern part (especially among the Igbo ethnic group) which accounts for over 70 percent of the country's Catholic population.

The second papal visit to the country in 1998 witnessed the beatification of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi. Pope John Paul II proclaimed him blessed at Oba, Onitsha Archdiocese, a local Church established by the apostle of eastern Nigerian, Bishop Joseph Shanahan, CSSp.

The official patron saints of Nigeria are: Mary, Queen of Nigeria and Saint Patrick of Ireland.[4]

Map of Nigeria

List of dioceses

Archdioceses9
Suffragan Dioceses43
Apostolic Vicariates2
Parishes1,905 (2004)
Diocesan Priests3,452
Religious Priests694
♦Total Priests4,146 (2004)
Religious Women3,674
Major seminaries in Nigeria6
Major seminarians
Minor seminaries in Nigeria20
Minor seminarians
♦Total seminarians3,755 (2004)
Educational institutes4,163
Charitable institutes1,202
ReferencesItalian page for 2004[5]

Within Nigeria the hierarchy consists of:

  • Archbishopric
    • Bishopric

Immediately subject to the Holy See:

Episcopal conference

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria is the Nigerian episcopal conference.

Catholic traditionalism

A more traditionalist subset of the Catholic Church is also present in Nigeria and embodied by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (Nne Enyemaka Shrine,[6] Umuaka). There also exists a community of the irregular status Society of St. Pius X (Saint Michael’s Priory,[7][8] Enugu).

Catholic universities in Nigeria


Major seminaries in Nigeria

Minor seminaries in Nigeria

  • St. Augustine's seminary, Amechi Ezzamgbo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
  • Queen of Apostles Seminary, Afaha Obong, Abak, Akwa Ibom State
  • Immaculate Conception Seminary, Mfamosing, Cross River State
  • St. John Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin-Ladi, Plateau State
  • St. James' Junior Seminary, Yandev Gboko
  • St. Jude's Minor Seminary, Kuje Abuja
  • St Theresa's Minor Seminary Oke-Are Ibadan
  • Sacred Hearts Minor Seminary Akure
  • St. Clement's Minor Seminary, Adankolo-Lokoja, Kogi State
  • St Paul's Seminary Ukpor, Nnewi Anambra State
  • All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha Anambra State
  • Mercy Seminary, Bende Abia State
  • Immaculate Conception Seminary, Ahiaeke Umuahia, Abia State
  • St. Dominic Savio Seminary, Akpu, Anambra State
  • St John Bosco Seminary, Isuaniocha, Anambra State
  • Holy Martyrs of Uganda seminary Effurun, Delta State
  • Annunciation Seminary Amaudara, Abia State
  • St John-cross minor seminary, Isienu-Nsukka, Enugu state
  • St Charles Borromeo seminary, Imiringi, Bayelsa State.
  • St Mary's Seminary Umuowa, Orlu, Imo State.
  • Mater Ecclesiae Seminary, Nguru Mbaise, Ahiara Diocese
  • St Peter Claver's Seminary Okpala Owerri Archdiocese
  • St. Peter's Seminary Ogii, Okigwe Diocese
  • Sacred Heart Seminary, Rumuebiekwe Port Hacourt, Port hacourt Diocese

Nigerians who have been canonized

Catholic Religious Congregations founded in Nigeria

Missionary societies active in Nigeria

See also

References

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