Metropolitan Archdiocese of Blantyre, Malawi 🇲🇼

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Blantyre / Blantyren(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Chikwawa, Mangochi, Zomba

Neighbouring Dioceses: Chikwawa (↙), Tete (←), Mangochi (↑), Zomba (↗), Quelimane (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady Queen of All Hearts

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1903.12.03: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Shiré / Shiren(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Nyassa)
1908.04.14: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Shiré / Shiren(sis) (Latin)
1952.05.15: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Blantyre / Blantyren(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Zomba)
1959.04.25: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Blantyre / Blantyren(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Dedza, Lilongwe and Zomba)
1961.01.17: Gained suffragan see Mzuzu
1965.03.22: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Chikwawa and gained suffragan see Chikwawa
1973.09.17: Gained suffragan see Mangochi
2010.07.21: Gained suffragan see Karonga
2011.02.09: Lost suffragan sees Dedza, Karonga, Lilongwe and Mzuzu

Contact Info

Address: P.O. Box 385, Blantyre, Malawi

Phone: +265 1 637905

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1989.05)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2013.11.21 – ...):

Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa, S.M.M. (64)

Vice-President of Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa

Monsignors (2)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Blantyre (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa, S.M.M. (64)
(2013.11.21 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Blantyre (Malawi)
Vice-President of Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa

Ut unum sint

Born:	1962.02.02 (Iba, Malawi)
Ordained Priest:	1996.08.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.04.17

Bishop of Zomba (Malawi) (2004.01.17 – 2013.11.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Blantyre (Malawi) (2013.11.21 – ...)

Vice-President of Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (2014.09.25 – ...)

President of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (2015.01.30 – 2022.02.04)

Archbishop Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye
(2001.01.23 – 2013.07.03)

He is with me

Born:	1949.05.19 (Khombe, Malawi)
Ordained Priest:	1977.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.05.23
Died:	2020.12.14 (Windhoek, Namibia † 71)

Titular Bishop of Macon (1991.11.26 – 1993.05.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Dedza (Malawi) (1991.11.26 – 1993.05.04)

Coadjutor Bishop of Lilongwe (Malawi) (1993.05.04 – 1994.11.11)

Bishop of Lilongwe (Malawi) (1994.11.11 – 2001.01.23)

President of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (2000 – 2012.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Blantyre (Malawi) (2001.01.23 – 2013.07.03)

President of Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (2008.07 – 2014.07.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lilongwe (Malawi) (2013.07.03 – 2020.12.14)

Archbishop James Chiona
(1967.11.29 – 2001.01.23)

Born:	1924 (Bandawe, Malawi)
Ordained Priest:	1954.09.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.03.28
Died:	2008.08.18 († 83)

Priest of Blantyre (Malawi) (1954.09.12 – 1965.01.11)

Titular Bishop of Bacanaria (1965.01.11 – 1967.11.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Blantyre (Malawi) (1965.01.11 – 1967.11.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Blantyre (Malawi) (1967.11.29 – 2001.01.23)

President of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (1969 – 1980)

President of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (1984 – 1994)

Archbishop Jan Baptist Hubert Theunissen, S.M.M.
(1959.04.25 – 1967.10.14)

Cruce et virgine

Born:	1905.10.03 (Schimmert, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1929.12.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.03.25
Died:	1979.04.09 (Schimmert, Netherlands † 73)

Vicar Apostolic of Shiré (Malawi) (1949.12.25 – 1952.05.15)

Titular Bishop of Giufi (1949.12.25 – 1959.04.25)

Vicar Apostolic of Blantyre (Malawi) (1952.05.15 – 1959.04.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Blantyre (Malawi) (1959.04.25 – 1967.10.14)

President of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (1966 – 1967)

Apostolic Administrator of Islanda (Iceland) (1967.10.14 – 1968.10.18)

Titular Archbishop of Bavagaliana (1967.10.14 – 1968.12.19)

Titular Archbishop of Skálholt (1968.12.19 – 1979.04.09)

Vicars Apostolic of Blantyre (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jan Baptist Hubert Theunissen, S.M.M. (later Archbishop)
(1952.05.15 – 1959.04.25)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Shiré (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jan Baptist Hubert Theunissen, S.M.M. (later Archbishop)
(1949.12.25 – 1952.05.15)

(see above)

Bishop Louis-Joseph-Marie Auneau, S.M.M.
(1910.05.09 – 1949)

Born:	1876.02.11 (Mésanger, France)
Ordained Priest:	1900.07.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.11.01
Died:	1959.11.05 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Cerasus (1910.05.04 – 1959.11.05)

Vicar Apostolic of Shiré (Malawi) (1910.05.09 – 1949)

Bishop Auguste Prézeau
(1908.04.12 – 1909.12.02)

Born:	1871.12.26 (Saint-Hilaire-de-Talmont, France)
Ordained Priest:	1896
Consecrated Bishop:	1908.10.04
Died:	1909.12.02 († 37)

Prefect Apostolic of Shiré (Malawi) (1903.12.03 – 1908.04.12)

Titular Bishop of Adraha (1908.04.12 – 1909.12.02)

Vicar Apostolic of Shiré (Malawi) (1908.04.12 – 1909.12.02)

Prefects Apostolic of Shiré (Roman Rite)

Fr. Auguste Prézeau (later Bishop)
(1903.12.03 – 1908.04.12)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Montfort Stima (68) (2010.01.25 – 2013.12.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop James Chiona (later Archbishop) (1965.01.11 – 1967.11.29)