Eritrean Metropolitanate sui juris of

Asmara

Eritrea

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Eritrean (Alexandrian)

Type: Metropolitanate sui juris

Name: Asmara / Asmaren(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Barentu, Keren, Segheneyti

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Websites:

History

1930.07.04: Established as Ordinariate of Eritrea
1951.10.31: Promoted as Apostolic Exarchate of Asmara / Asmaren(sis) (Latin)
1961.02.20: Promoted as Diocese of Asmara / Asmaren(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Addis Abeba)
1995.12.21: Gained territory from the suppressed Apostolic Vicariate of Asmara and lost territory to establish Diocese of Barentu and Diocese of Keren
2012.02.24: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Segheneyti
2015.01.19: Promoted as Metropolitanate sui juris of Asmara / Asmaren(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Barentu, Keren and Segheneyti)

Contact Info

Address: Addi Keih Street 19, P.O. Box 244, Asmara, Eritrea

Present Prelates

Metropolitan (2015.01.19 – ...):

Archbishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.J. (76)

President of Council of the Eritrean Church

Ordinaries

Metropolitans of Asmara (Eritrean Rite)

Archbishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.J. (76)
(2015.01.19 – ...)

Metropolitan of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea)
President of Council of the Eritrean Church

Born:	1948.12.24 (Berakit, Eritrea)
Ordained Priest:	1979.02.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.09.16

Bishop of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (2001.06.25 – 2015.01.19)

Metropolitan of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (2015.01.19 – ...)

President of Council of the Eritrean Church (2015.01.19 – ...)

Bishops of Asmara (Eritrean Rite)

Bishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.J. (76) (later Archbishop)
(2001.06.25 – 2015.01.19)

(see above)

Bishop Zekarias Yohannes
(1984.07.17 – 2001.06.25)

Born:	1925.05.13 (Adigenú, Eritrea)
Ordained Priest:	1949.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.06.06
Died:	2016.12.01 († 91)

Titular Bishop of Barca (1981.01.29 – 1984.07.17)

Auxiliary Bishop of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (1981.01.29 – 1984.07.17)

Bishop of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (1984.07.17 – 2001.06.25)

Bishop François Abraha
(1961.04.09 – 1984.07.17)

Born:	1918.04.02 (Asmara, Eritrea)
Ordained Priest:	1944.03.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.10.08
Died:	2000.03.26 (Roma, Italy † 81)

Bishop of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (1961.04.09 – 1984.07.17)

Bishop Asrate Mariam Yemmeru (later Archbishop)
(1958.02.03 – 1961.04.09)

Born:	1904.04.04 (Debre Birhan, Ethiopia)
Ordained Priest:	1934.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.07.06
Died:	1990.09.10 († 86)

Titular Bishop of Urima (1958.02.03 – 1961.04.09)

Bishop of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (1958.02.03 – 1961.04.09)

Metropolitan of Addis Abeba of the Ethiopics (Ethiopia) (1961.04.09 – 1977.02.24)

President of Ethiopian Episcopal Conference (1967 – 1976)

Apostolic Exarchs of Asmara (Eritrean Rite)

Bishop Ghebre Jesus Jacob
(1951.02.24 – 1958.02.03)

Born:	1889.04.11
Ordained Priest:	1913.04.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1951.05.01
Died:	1969.01.22 († 79)

Apostolic Exarch of Asmara of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (1951.02.24 – 1958.02.03)

Titular Bishop of Erythrum (1951.02.24 – 1969.01.22)

Ordinaries of Eritrea (Eritrean Rite)

Bishop Kidanè-Maryam Cassà
(1930.07.04 – 1951.02.24)

Born:	1886.04.21
Ordained Priest:	1915.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1930.08.03
Died:	1951.09.01 († 65)

Ordinary of Eritrea of the Eritreans (Eritrea) (1930.07.04 – 1951.02.24)

Titular Bishop of Thibaris (1930.07.04 – 1951.09.01)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Zekarias Yohannes (1981.01.29 – 1984.07.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Kidane Mehret, Asmara
Former Cathedral: Former Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara

Barentu (←), Keren (↖), Segheneyti (→), Adigrat (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 23,886 km²

Population: 44,787 Catholics (2.1% of 2,181,686 total)

Pastoral Centres: 61 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 319 priests (19 diocesan, 300 religious), 3 deacons, 1,508 religious (622 brothers, 886 sisters), 194 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.11.11

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