Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga, Congo-Kinshasa

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Kananga / Kanangan(us) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Kabinda, Kole, Luebo, Luiza, Mbujimayi, Mweka, Tshilomba, Tshumbe

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1901.07.26: Established as Mission sui juris of Kasaï Supérieur (français) / Upper Kasai (English) / Kasaï Superiore (Italiano) / de Kassai Superiore (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Congo Belge)
1904.03.18: Promoted as Apostolic Prefecture of Kasaï Supérieur (français) / Upper Kasai (English) / Kasaï Superiore (Italiano) / de Kassai Superiore (Latin)
1911.06.30: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Katanga
1917.06.13: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Kasaï Supérieur (français) / Upper Kasai (English) / Kasaï Superiore (Italiano) / de Kassai Superiore (Latin)
1921.03: Lost territory to Apostolic Prefecture of Kwango
1922.07.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Lulua Katanga
1936.05.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Tshumbe
1937.04.13: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu
1939.04.25: Lost territory to Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu
1949.03.10: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg / Luluaburgen(sis) (Latin)
1953.03.24: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Kabinda and Apostolic Prefecture of Mweka
1959.04.25: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Luebo
1959.11.10: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luluabourg / Luluaburgen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Kabinda, Luebo and Tshumbe)
1963.11.22: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi
1964.09.29: Gained suffragan see Mweka
1966.05.03: Lost territory to Diocese of Mbujimayi and gained suffragan see Mbujimayi
1967.09.16: Gained suffragan see Kole
1967.09.26: Lost territory to Diocese of Luebo, lost territory to establish Diocese of Luiza and gained suffragan see Luiza
1972.06.14: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga / Kanangan(us) (Latin)
1972.08.24: Gained territory from Diocese of Mweka
2022.03.25: Gained suffragan see Tshilomba

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2024.03.19 – ...):

Archbishop Félicien Ntambue Kasembe, C.I.C.M. (54)

Apostolic Administrator of Kabinda (Congo-Kinshasa)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Kananga (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Félicien Ntambue Kasembe, C.I.C.M. (54)
(2024.03.19 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa)
Apostolic Administrator of Kabinda (Congo-Kinshasa)

Cor unum et anima una

Born:	1970.09.08 (Kabinda, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	2001.08.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.09.27

Bishop of Kabinda (Congo-Kinshasa) (2020.07.23 – 2024.03.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (2022.12.21 – 2024.03.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (2024.03.19 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Kabinda (Congo-Kinshasa) (2024.03.19 – ...)

Bishop Félicien Ntambue Kasembe, C.I.C.M. (54) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2022.12.21 – 2024.03.19)

Archbishop Marcel Madila Basanguka (69)
(2006.12.09 – 2022.12.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa)
former President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa

Born:	1955.05.17 (Ndola, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1981.08.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.05.29

Priest of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (1981.08.30 – 2004.02.27)

Titular Bishop of Gigthi (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09)

Auxiliary Bishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (2006.12.09 – 2022.12.21)

President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (2019.06.26 – 2022.12.21)

Archbishop Godefroy Mukeng’a Kalond, C.I.C.M. (94)
(1997.03.03 – 2006.05.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa)

Born:	1930.08.31 (Tshibingu-Mukese, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1958.03.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.12.05

Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1971.08.30 – 1997.03.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (1997.03.03 – 2006.05.03)

Archbishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga
(1972.06.14 – 1997.03.03)

Born:	1920.04.24 (Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1953.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1966.09.18
Died:	2000.02.03 († 79)

Titular Bishop of Sullectum (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26)

Auxiliary Bishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.09.26 – 1972.06.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (1972.06.14 – 1997.03.03)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Luluabourg (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga
(1967.09.26 – 1972.06.14)

(see above)

Archbishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M.
(1959.11.10 – 1967.09.26)

Born:	1908.11.28 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1933.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.05.17
Died:	1992.11.01 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Belali (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953 – 1957)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1967.09.26)

Archbishop-Bishop of Luiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.09.26 – 1970.10.03)

Titular Archbishop of Pulcheriopolis (1970.10.03 – 1986.05.17)

Vicars Apostolic of Luluabourg (Roman Rite)

Bishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (later Archbishop)
(1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Roman Rite)

Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M.
(1938.10.29 – 1948.04.22)

Born:	1885.06.08 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1910.07.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1937.07.26
Died:	1969.07.02 († 84)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1936.01.23 – 1938.10.29)

Titular Bishop of Vescera (1936.01.27 – 1969.07.02)

Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1938.10.29 – 1948.04.22)

Bishop Auguste De Clercq, C.I.C.M.
(1918.08.24 – 1938.10.29)

Born:	1870.04.30 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1893.07.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1919.01.12
Died:	1939.11.23 († 69)

Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1918.08.24 – 1938.10.29)

Titular Bishop of Thignica (1918.08.24 – 1939.11.23)

Prefects Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Roman Rite)

Fr. Ernest Handekijn
(1916 – 1917.06.13)

Prefect Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1916 – 1917.06.13)

Fr. Egide de Boeck, C.I.C.M. (later Bishop)
(1913 – 1916)

Born:	1875.11.13 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1900.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1921.05.08
Died:	1944.12.20 († 69)

Prefect Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1913 – 1916)

Vicar Apostolic of Nouvelle-Anvers (Congo-Kinshasa) (1921.01.04 – 1936.01.27)

Titular Bishop of Azotus (1921.03.10 – 1944.12.20)

Vicar Apostolic of Lisala (Congo-Kinshasa) (1936.01.27 – 1944.12.20)

Fr. Eméry Cambier, C.I.C.M.
(1904 – 1913)

Prefect Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1904 – 1913)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (1936.01.23 – 1938.10.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Marcel Madila Basanguka (69) (later Archbishop) (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (later Archbishop) (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26)