Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Gitega

Burundi

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Gitega / Kitegaën(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Neighbouring Dioceses: Bururi (↙), Bujumbura (←), Ngozi (↑), Muyinga (↗), Ruyigi (→), Rutana (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1922.04.25: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Urundi (from Apostolic Vicariate of Kivu)
1949.07.14: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Kitega / Kitegæn(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Ngozi)
1959.06.11: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Usumbura
1959.11.10: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Gitega / Kitegaën(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Ngozi and Usumbura)
1961.06.06: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bururi and gained suffragan see Bururi
1968.09.05: Gained suffragan see Muyinga
1973.04.13: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ruyigi and gained suffragan see Ruyigi
1980.06.07: Gained suffragan see Bubanza
2006.11.25: Lost suffragan sees Bubanza, Bujumbura and Bururi
2009.01.17: Gained suffragan see Rutana

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1990.09)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2022.02.19 – ...):

Archbishop Bonaventure Nahimana (66)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi

Second Vice-President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Gitega (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Bonaventure Nahimana (66)
(2022.02.19 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi)
President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi
Second Vice-President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa

Priez pour nous

Born:	1959.06.03 (Gisebuzi, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1986.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.03.28

Priest of Gitega (Burundi) (1986.08.10 – 2009.01.17)

Bishop of Rutana (Burundi) (2009.01.17 – 2022.02.19)

Second Vice-President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (2019.06.26 – ...)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (2019.12.06 – 2022.12.15)

Apostolic Administrator of Rutana (Burundi) (2022.02.19 – 2025.02.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (2022.02.19 – ...)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (2022.12.15 – ...)

Archbishop Simon Ntamwana (79)
(1997.01.24 – 2022.02.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Gitega (Burundi)

Charité et patience

Born:	1946.06.03 (Mukenke, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1974.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.02.05

Bishop of Bujumbura (Burundi) (1988.11.14 – 1997.01.24)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (1997 – 2004)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (1997.01.24 – 2022.02.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Bururi (Burundi) (2005.11.21 – 2007.06.25)

President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (2007.07 – 2013.07.04)

Archbishop Joachim Ruhuna
(1982.11.06 – 1996.09.09)

Born:	1933.10.27 (Nyabikere, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1962.09.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1973.07.25
Died:	1996.09.09 († 62)

Bishop of Ruyigi (Burundi) (1973.04.13 – 1980.03.28)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (1980 – 1986)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (1980.03.28 – 1982.11.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (1982.11.06 – 1996.09.09)

Archbishop André Makarakiza, M. Afr.
(1968.09.05 – 1982.11.06)

Born:	1919.06.30 (Rudehe, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1951.08.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.12.08
Died:	2004.04.17 (Gitega, Burundi † 84)

Bishop of Ngozi (Burundi) (1961.08.21 – 1968.09.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (1968.09.05 – 1982.11.06)

Archbishop Antoine Grauls, M. Afr.
(1959.11.10 – 1967.10.16)

Born:	1899.02.01 (Kortessem, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1923.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1937.04.05
Died:	1986.07.26 (Hasselt, Belgium † 87)

Vicar Apostolic of Urundi (Burundi) (1936.12.23 – 1949.07.14)

Titular Bishop of Mades (1936.12.23 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Kitega (Burundi) (1949.07.14 – 1959.11.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (1959.11.10 – 1967.10.16)

Titular Archbishop of Giru Marcelli (1967.10.16 – 1986.07.26)

Vicars Apostolic of Kitega (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antoine Grauls, M. Afr. (later Archbishop)
(1949.07.14 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Urundi (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antoine Grauls, M. Afr. (later Archbishop)
(1936.12.23 – 1949.07.14)

(see above)

Bishop Julien-Louis-Edouard-Marie Gorju, M. Afr.
(1922.04.26 – 1936.05.29)

Born:	1868.12.31 (Saint-Servan, France)
Ordained Priest:	1892.09.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.08.15
Died:	1942.01.14 († 73)

Vicar Apostolic of Urundi (Burundi) (1922.04.26 – 1936.05.29)

Titular Bishop of Musti (1922.04.26 – 1942.01.14)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Joachim Ruhuna (1980.03.28 – 1982.11.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Nestor Bihonda (1965.05.06 – 1968.09.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Fr. Gabriele Kihimbare (1964.09.29 – 1964.12.15)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Christ Roi, Gitega, Gitega

Bururi (↙), Bujumbura (←), Ngozi (↑), Muyinga (↗), Ruyigi (→), Rutana (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 3,879 km²

Population: 1,517,272 Catholics (80.9% of 1,874,495 total)

Pastoral Centres: 55 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 200 priests (156 diocesan, 44 religious), 989 religious (219 brothers, 770 sisters), 83 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

© 2026 GCatholic.org