Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bouaké, Cote d’Ivoire

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Bouaké / Buaken(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Abengourou, Bondoukou, Yamoussoukro

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1951.05.17: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Bouaké / Buaken(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Abidjan)
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Bouaké / Buaken(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Abidjan)
1963.09.13: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Abengourou
1992.03.06: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Yamoussoukro
1994.12.19: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bouaké / Buaken(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Abengourou, Bondoukou and Yamoussoukro)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2024.07.25 – ...):

Archbishop Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa (55)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Bouaké (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa (55)
(2024.07.25 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire)

Pasce oves meas

Born:	1969.01.06 (Kuindjabo, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1997.12.13
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.10.03

Priest of Grand-Bassam (Cote d’Ivoire) (1997.12.13 – 2020.05.05)

Titular Bishop of Elephantaria in Mauretania (2020.05.05 – 2024.07.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (2020.05.05 – 2024.07.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (2024.02.16 – 2024.07.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (2024.07.25 – ...)

Bishop Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa (55) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2024.02.16 – 2024.07.25)

Archbishop Paul-Siméon Ahouanan Djro, O.F.M.
(2006.09.22 – 2024.02.12)

Annuntiare evangelium vitæ

Born:	1952.12.19 (Bingerville, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1981.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.03.16
Died:	2024.02.12 (Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire † 71)

Bishop of Yamoussoukro (Cote d’Ivoire) (1995.12.06 – 2006.01.12)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (2006.01.12 – 2006.09.22)

Apostolic Administrator of Yamoussoukro (Cote d’Ivoire) (2006.04.22 – 2006.07.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (2006.09.22 – 2024.02.12)

Archbishop Vital Komenan Yao
(1994.12.19 – 2006.09.22)

Born:	1938 (Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1964.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1973.07.29
Died:	2006.09.22 († 67)

Bishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (1973.05.17 – 1994.12.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (1994.12.19 – 2006.09.22)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Côte d’Ivoire (1999 – 2005)

Bishops of Bouaké (Roman Rite)

Bishop Vital Komenan Yao (later Archbishop)
(1973.05.17 – 1994.12.19)

(see above)

Bishop André-Pierre Duirat, S.M.A.
(1955.09.14 – 1973.05.17)

Born:	1908.05.30 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1934.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.12.08
Died:	1998.12.29 († 90)

Vicar Apostolic of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (1951.10.26 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Bouaké (Cote d’Ivoire) (1955.09.14 – 1973.05.17)

Vicars Apostolic of Bouaké (Roman Rite)

Bishop-elect André-Pierre Duirat, S.M.A.
(1951.10.26 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Paul-Siméon Ahouanan Djro, O.F.M. (2006.01.12 – 2006.09.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa (55) (later Archbishop) (2020.05.05 – 2024.07.25)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Sainte-Thérèse, Bouaké, Vallée du Bandama

Churches by City (22)

Daloa (↙), Katiola (↑), Bondoukou (→), Abengourou (↘), Yamoussoukro (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 20,000 km²

Population: 267,130 Catholics (19.6% of 1,364,929 total)

Pastoral Centres: 39 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 88 priests (65 diocesan, 23 religious), 100 religious (39 brothers, 61 sisters), 57 seminarians