Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Fianarantsoa

Madagascar

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Fianarantsoa / Fianarantsoaën(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Ambositra, Farafangana, Ihosy, Mananjary

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1913.05.10: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Fianarantsoa / Fianarantsoaën(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Central Madagascar)
1935.06.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Vatomandry
1938.01.08: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Morondava
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Fianarantsoa / Fianarantsoaën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Tananarive)
1958.12.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa / Fianarantsoaën(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Farafangana, Fort-Dauphin, Morondava and Tuléar)
1960.04.25: Gained suffragan see Morombe
1967.04.13: Gained suffragan see Ihosy
1968.04.09: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Mananjary and gained suffragan see Mananjary
1999.06.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ambositra and gained suffragan see Ambositra
2003.11.14: Lost suffragan sees Morombe and Toliara
2003.12.03: Lost suffragan sees Morondava and Tôlagnaro

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1989.05)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2002.10.01 – ...):

Archbishop Fulgence Rabemahafaly (73)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Fianarantsoa (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Fulgence Rabemahafaly (73)
(2002.10.01 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar)

Born:	1951.05.23 (Miarinavaratra, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1980.08.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.10.31

Priest of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1980.08.14 – 1999.06.03)

Bishop of Ambositra (Madagascar) (1999.06.03 – 2002.10.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (2002.10.01 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Ambositra (Madagascar) (2002.12.01 – 2005.06.24)

President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (2006 – 2012.11)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (2021.11.11 – 2024.11.13)

Archbishop Philibert Randriambololona, S.J.
(1992.12.17 – 2002.10.01)

Born:	1927.05.01 (Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1961.07.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.11.27
Died:	2018.04.17 († 90)

Coadjutor Bishop of Antsirabé (Madagascar) (1988.09.01 – 1989.06.19)

Bishop of Antsirabé (Madagascar) (1989.06.19 – 1992.12.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1992.12.17 – 2002.10.01)

Archbishop Gilbert Ramanantoanina, S.J.
(1962.04.02 – 1991.01.26)

Born:	1916.12.13 (Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1948.08.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.04.24
Died:	1991.01.26 († 74)

Titular Bishop of Acmonia (1960.01.12 – 1962.04.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1960.01.12 – 1962.04.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1962.04.02 – 1991.01.26)

President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (1966 – 1971)

Archbishop Xavier Ferdinand J. Thoyer, S.J.
(1958.12.11 – 1962.04.02)

Born:	1884.07.04 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1914.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1937.04.04
Died:	1970.10.07 († 86)

Titular Bishop of Thuburbo minus (1936.12.23 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1936.12.23 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1955.09.14 – 1958.12.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1958.12.11 – 1962.04.02)

Titular Archbishop of Odessus (1962.04.02 – 1970.10.07)

Bishops of Fianarantsoa (Roman Rite)

Bishop Xavier Ferdinand J. Thoyer, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1955.09.14 – 1958.12.11)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Fianarantsoa (Roman Rite)

Bishop Xavier Ferdinand J. Thoyer, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1936.12.23 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Bishop Charles Givelet, S.J.
(1913.05.16 – 1935.12.09)

Born:	1857.07.18 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1889.09.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1913.10.02
Died:	1935.12.09 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Gindarus (1913.05.16 – 1935.12.09)

Vicar Apostolic of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1913.05.16 – 1935.12.09)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Gilbert Ramanantoanina, S.J. (later Archbishop) (1960.01.12 – 1962.04.02)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale du Saint-Nom de Jésus, Fianarantsoa, Fianarantsoa

Morombe (←), Ambositra (↑), Mananjary (→), Farafangana (↘), Ihosy (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 29,400 km²

Population: 1,067,965 Catholics (45.9% of 2,327,607 total)

Pastoral Centres: 53 parishes, 10 missions

Personnel: 191 priests (91 diocesan, 100 religious), 702 religious (349 brothers, 353 sisters), 87 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.03.17

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