Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calabar, Nigeria 🇳🇬

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Calabar / Calabaren(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Ikot Ekpene, Ogoja, Port Harcourt, Uyo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Uyo (←), Umuahia (↖), Awgu (↖), Ogoja (↑), Mamfe (↗), Kumba (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1934.07.09: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Calabar / Calabaren(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Nigeria)
1938.03.13: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Ogoja
1947.06.12: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Calabar / Calabaren(sis) (Latin)
1950.04.18: Promoted as Diocese of Calabar / Calabaren(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Onitsha)
1963.03.01: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ikot Ekpene
1989.07.04: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Uyo
1994.03.26: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calabar / Calabaren(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Ikot Ekpene, Ogoja, Port Harcourt and Uyo)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2013.02.02 – ...):	Archbishop Joseph Effiong Ekuwem (76)
Auxiliary Bishop (2023.05.01 – ...):	Bishop Christopher Naseri Naseri (56) Titular Bishop of Gurza

Monsignors (8)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Calabar (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Joseph Effiong Ekuwem (76)
(2013.02.02 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar (Nigeria)

Omnia ad Deum

Born:	1949.12.18 (Offi Udah, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1979.06.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.12.09

Priest of Calabar (Nigeria) (1979.06.30 – 1989.07.04)

Bishop of Uyo (Nigeria) (1989.07.04 – 2013.02.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (2013.02.02 – ...)

Archbishop Joseph Edra Ukpo
(2003.12.17 – 2013.02.02)

Born:	1937.06.06 (Okpoma, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1965.04.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.09.19
Died:	2023.03.01 (Calabar, Nigeria † 85)

Priest of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1965.04.25 – 1971.04.24)

Titular Bishop of Chullu (1971.04.24 – 1973.03.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1971.04.24 – 1973.03.01)

Bishop of Ogoja (Nigeria) (1973.03.01 – 2003.12.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (2003.12.17 – 2013.02.02)

Archbishop Brian David Usanga
(1994.03.26 – 2003.12.17)

Born:	1928.10.24 (Obotim, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1956.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.12.04
Died:	2005.05.26 († 76)

Priest of Calabar (Nigeria) (1956.12.08 – 1966.08.05)

Titular Bishop of Ubaba (1966.08.05 – 1970.02.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (1966.08.05 – 1970.02.05)

Bishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (1970.02.05 – 1994.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (1994.03.26 – 2003.12.17)

Bishops of Calabar (Roman Rite)

Bishop Brian David Usanga (later Archbishop)
(1970.02.05 – 1994.03.26)

(see above)

Bishop James Moynagh, S.P.S.
(1950.04.18 – 1970.02.05)

Born:	1903.04.25 (Loughduff, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1930.06.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.09.07
Died:	1985.06.11 († 82)

Prefect Apostolic of Calabar (Nigeria) (1934.10.26 – 1947.06.12)

Titular Bishop of Lambæsis (1947.06.12 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Calabar (Nigeria) (1947.06.12 – 1950.04.18)

Bishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (1950.04.18 – 1970.02.05)

Titular Bishop of Mayo (1970.02.05 – 1970.12.11)

Vicars Apostolic of Calabar (Roman Rite)

Bishop James Moynagh, S.P.S.
(1947.06.12 – 1950.04.18)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Calabar (Roman Rite)

Fr. James Moynagh, S.P.S. (later Bishop)
(1934.10.26 – 1947.06.12)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Brian David Usanga (later Archbishop) (1966.08.05 – 1970.02.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Dominic Ignatius Ekandem (later Cardinal) (1953.08.07 – 1963.03.01)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Calabar, Cross River
Former Cathedral: St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Calabar, Cross River

Uyo (←), Umuahia (↖), Awgu (↖), Ogoja (↑), Mamfe (↗), Kumba (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 7,754 km²

Population: 306,760 Catholics (18.2% of 1,682,110 total)

Pastoral Centres: 51 parishes

Personnel: 107 priests (94 diocesan, 13 religious), 73 religious (22 brothers, 51 sisters), 48 seminarians