Diocese of Laghouat, Algeria 🇩🇿

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Laghouat (français) / Laghouat–Ghardaïa / Sahara / Laghouat (English) / Laghuaten(sis) (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1901.07.19: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaïa / Ghardaien(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Sahara and Sudan)
1915.03.10: Lost territory to Apostolic Prefecture of Sénégal
1921.01.10: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaïa nel Sahara / Ghardaia in the Sahara / Ghardaien(sis) in Sahara (Latin)
1942.04.28: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Niamey
1948.06.10: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Ghardaïa nel Sahara / Ghardaia in the Sahara / Ghardaien(sis) in Sahara (Latin)
1954.07.05: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Sahara Español e Ifni
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Laghouat (français) / Laghouat–Ghardaïa / Sahara / Laghouat (English) / Laghuaten(sis) (Latin) (without ecclesiastical province)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.01.25 – ...):

Bishop Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M. Afr. (54)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Laghouat (Roman Rite)

Bishop Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M. Afr. (54)
(2025.01.25 – ...)

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria)

Ponam in deserto viam

Born:	1971.07.20 (Gandia, Spain)
Ordained Priest:	2001.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	2025.03.19

President of Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (2018.09 – 2024.06.10)

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria) (2025.01.25 – ...)

Bishop John Gordon MacWilliam, M. Afr. (77)
(2017.03.16 – 2025.01.25)

Bishop emeritus of Laghouat (Algeria)

Servas ut duces

Born:	1948.11.20 (Wimbledon, England)
Ordained Priest:	1992.07.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.05.20

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria) (2017.03.16 – 2025.01.25)

Bishop Claude Jean Narcisse Rault, M. Afr. (85)
(2004.10.26 – 2017.03.16)

Bishop emeritus of Laghouat (Algeria)

Dieu nous aime

Born:	1940.11.28 (Poilley, France)
Ordained Priest:	1968.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.12.16

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria) (2004.10.26 – 2017.03.16)

Vice-President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (2012.11.21 – 2015.03.07)

Fr. Michel Larbubu, M. Afr.
(Apostolic Administrator 2004.04.29 – 2004.10.26)

Bishop Michel-Joseph-Gérard Gagnon, M. Afr.
(1991.02.04 – 2004.06.01)

Born:	1933.03.23 (Québec, QC, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1956.04.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.05.04
Died:	2004.06.01 (El Bayadh, Algeria † 71)

Bishop of Djibouti (Djibouti) (1980.03.28 – 1987.07.03)

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria) (1991.02.04 – 2004.06.01)

Bishop Jean-Marie Michel Arthur Alix Zacharie Raimbaud, M. Afr.
(1968.01.11 – 1989.06.25)

Born:	1924.07.04 (Saint-Hilaire de Talmont, France)
Ordained Priest:	1950.02.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.05.19
Died:	1989.06.25 († 64)

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria) (1968.01.11 – 1989.06.25)

Bishop Georges-Louis Mercier, M. Afr.
(1955.09.14 – 1968.01.11)

Born:	1902.08.01 (Carignan, France)
Ordained Priest:	1928.02.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1948.12.08
Died:	1991.08.27 († 89)

Prefect Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara (Algeria) (1941 – 1948.06.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara (Algeria) (1948.06.10 – 1955.09.14)

Titular Bishop of Celerina (1948.06.21 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria) (1955.09.14 – 1968.01.11)

Titular Bishop of Furnos minor (1968.01.11 – 1976.10.13)

Vicars Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara (Roman Rite)

Bishop Georges-Louis Mercier, M. Afr.
(1948.06.10 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Prefects Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara (Roman Rite)

Fr. Georges-Louis Mercier, M. Afr. (later Bishop)
(1941 – 1948.06.10)

(see above)

Fr. Gustave-Jean-Marie Nouet, M. Afr.
(1921.01.10 – 1941)

Born:	1878.10.18 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1902.06.29
Died:	1941 († 63)

Prefect Apostolic of Ghardaïa (Algeria) (1919.04.08 – 1921.01.10)

Prefect Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara (Algeria) (1921.01.10 – 1941)

Prefects Apostolic of Ghardaïa (Roman Rite)

Fr. Gustave-Jean-Marie Nouet, M. Afr.
(1919.04.08 – 1921.01.10)

(see above)

Fr. Louis David
(1916 – 1919)

Born:	(France)
Died:	1919

Prefect Apostolic of Ghardaïa (Algeria) (1916 – 1919)

Fr. Henry Bardou
(1911 – 1916)

Born:	(France)
Died:	1916

Prefect Apostolic of Ghardaïa (Algeria) (1911 – 1916)

Fr. Charles Guérin
(1901 – 1910)

Born:	1878 (France)
Died:	1910 († 32)

Prefect Apostolic of Ghardaïa (Algeria) (1901 – 1910)

Cardinal Charles-Martial Allemand-Lavigerie
(Apostolic Administrator 1891.03.13 – 1892.11.25)

Special Churches

Pro-Cathedral: Pro-cathédrale, Ghardaïa
Former Cathedral (now secular): Ex-Cathédrale Saint-Hilarion, Laghouat

Churches by City (6)

Nouakchott (↙), Oran (↖), Alger–Iulia Caesarea (↑), Constantine (↗), Tunis (→), Tripoli (↘), Maradi (↓), Mopti (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,107,708 km²

Population: 2,240 Catholics (0.0% of 5,292,800 total)

Pastoral Centres: 9 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 14 priests (2 diocesan, 12 religious), 42 religious (19 brothers, 23 sisters)