Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Bertoua

Cameroon

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Bertoua / Bertuan(us) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Batouri, Doumé–Abong’ Mbang, Yokadouma

Neighbouring Dioceses: Obala (←), Bafia (↖), Ngaoundéré (↑), Bouar (↗), Berbérati (→), Batouri (↘), Doumé–Abong’ Mbang (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1983.03.17: Established as Diocese of Bertoua / Bertuan(us) (Latin) (from Diocese of Doumé and became suffragan of Yaoundé)
1991.05.20: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Yokadouma
1994.02.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Batouri
1994.11.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bertoua / Bertuan(us) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Batouri, Doumé–Abong’ Mbang and Yokadouma)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2009.12.03 – ...):

Archbishop Joseph Atanga, S.J. (73)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Bertoua (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Joseph Atanga, S.J. (73)
(2009.12.03 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bertoua (Cameroon)

Born:	1952.08.14 (Akok-Bekoe, Cameroon)
Ordained Priest:	1987.07.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.09.18

Bishop of Bafoussam (Cameroon) (1999.06.22 – 2009.12.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bertoua (Cameroon) (2009.12.03 – ...)

President of National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (2010 – 2013.04)

Archbishop Roger Pirenne, C.I.C.M.
(1999.06.03 – 2009.12.03)

Gardien de la vérité

Born:	1934.08.09 (Clermont sur Berwinne, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1958.08.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.05.22
Died:	2023.08.06 (Yaoundé, Cameroon † 88)

Bishop of Batouri (Cameroon) (1994.02.03 – 1999.06.03)

Apostolic Administrator of Doumé–Abong’ Mbang (Cameroon) (1995 – 1997.04.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bertoua (Cameroon) (1999.06.03 – 2009.12.03)

Archbishop Lambertus Johannes van Heygen, C.S.Sp.
(1994.11.11 – 1999.06.03)

Sumus invicem membra

Born:	1920.12.09 (’s-Gravenhage, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1947.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.06.29
Died:	2007.05.30 († 86)

Bishop of Doumé (Cameroon) (1962.04.16 – 1983.03.17)

Bishop of Bertoua (Cameroon) (1983.03.17 – 1994.11.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bertoua (Cameroon) (1994.11.11 – 1999.06.03)

Bishops of Bertoua (Roman Rite)

Bishop Lambertus Johannes van Heygen, C.S.Sp. (later Archbishop)
(1983.03.17 – 1994.11.11)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale de la Sainte-Famille, Bertoua, East

Obala (←), Bafia (↖), Ngaoundéré (↑), Bouar (↗), Berbérati (→), Batouri (↘), Doumé–Abong’ Mbang (↓)

Statistics (2016.12.31)

Area: 26,320 km²

Population: 253,000 Catholics (60.2% of 420,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 48 parishes

Personnel: 116 priests (110 diocesan, 6 religious), 6 deacons, 66 religious (21 brothers, 45 sisters), 35 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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