Diocese of Warri, Nigeria

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Warri / Varrien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Benin City

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1964.03.10: Established as Diocese of Warri / Varrien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Benin City and became suffragan of Lagos)
1991.03.17: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Bomadi
1994.03.26: Became suffragan of Benin City

Present Prelates

Bishop (2022.12.28 – ...):

Bishop Anthony Ovayero Ewherido (63)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Warri (Roman Rite)

Bishop Anthony Ovayero Ewherido (63)
(2022.12.28 – ...)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria)

Born:	1960.10.08 (Eghwu, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1986.10.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2023.02.09

Priest of Warri (Nigeria) (1986.10.18 – 2022.12.28)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (2022.12.28 – ...)

Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze (67)
(Apostolic Administrator 2022.04.18 – 2022.12.28)

Bishop John ’Oke Afareha (77)
(2010.03.29 – 2022.04.18)

Bishop emeritus of Warri (Nigeria)

Born:	1947.03.10 (Oleh, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1973.12.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.05.14

Priest of Warri (Nigeria) (1973.12.30 – 1997.03.03)

Titular Bishop of Mina (1997.03.03 – 2010.03.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1997.03.03 – 2010.03.29)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (2010.03.29 – 2022.04.18)

Archbishop Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S. (75)
(Apostolic Administrator 2008.01 – 2010.03.29)

Bishop Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S. (75) (later Archbishop)
(1997.03.03 – 2007.12.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Benin City (Nigeria)

Born:	1949.02.19 (Clonmel, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1975.05.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.01.06

Coadjutor Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1995.12.06 – 1997.03.03)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1997.03.03 – 2007.12.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (2007.12.24 – 2010.05.31)

Apostolic Administrator of Warri (Nigeria) (2008.01 – 2010.03.29)

Bishop Edmund Joseph Fitzgibbon, S.P.S.
(1991.08.31 – 1997.03.03)

Born:	1925.03.01 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1950.04.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.01.06
Died:	2010.04.17 († 85)

Prefect Apostolic of Minna (Nigeria) (1964.11.25 – 1973.09.17)

Apostolic Administrator of Port Harcourt (Nigeria) (1973 – 1991.08.31)

Titular Bishop of Fordongianus (1975.11.20 – 1991.08.31)

Apostolic Administrator of Warri (Nigeria) (1983 – 1991.08.31)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1991.08.31 – 1997.03.03)

Bishop Edmund Joseph Fitzgibbon, S.P.S.
(Apostolic Administrator 1983 – 1991.08.31)

Bishop Lucas Olu Chukwuka Nwaezeapu
(1964.03.10 – 1983.09.10)

Born:	1925.12.23 (Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1958.02.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.05.24
Died:	1996.04.21 († 70)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1964.03.10 – 1983.09.10)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S. (75) (later Archbishop) (1995.12.06 – 1997.03.03)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop John ’Oke Afareha (77) (1997.03.03 – 2010.03.29)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Warri, Delta

Ondo (↖), Benin City (↑), Issele-Uku (↗), Nnewi (→), Port Harcourt (↘), Bomadi (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 11,000 km²

Population: 281,503 Catholics (6.5% of 4,349,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 150 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 172 priests (153 diocesan, 19 religious), 44 religious (19 brothers, 25 sisters), 102 seminarians