Metropolitan Archdiocese of Libreville, Gabon

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Libreville / Liberopolitan(us) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Franceville, Mouila, Oyem, Port-Gentil

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1842.01.22: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (français) / Two Guineas and Senegambia (English) / Guinée Supérieure et Inférieure et de Sierra Leone (français) / Guinea Superiore e Inferiore e di Sierra Leone (Italiano) (from Diocese of Funchal and Diocese of Tomé)
1842.10.03: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (français) / Two Guineas and Senegambia (English) / Guinée Supérieure et Inférieure et de Sierra Leone (français) / Guinea Superiore e Inferiore e di Sierra Leone (Italiano)
1855.10.10: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Annobon, Corisco and Fernando Poo Islands
1858.04.13: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Sierra Leone
1860.08.28: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Dahomey
1863.02.06: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Deux Guinées (français) / Two Guineas (English) / Due Guinee (Italiano) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Senegambia)
1865: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Congo
1879.07.03: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Cimbebasia
1879.09.27: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Gold Coast
1884.05.02: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Niger
1886.06.04: Gained territory from Apostolic Prefecture of Congo
1886.11.22: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Congo Belge
1889.07.25: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Lower Niger
1890.03.18: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Gabon / Gabonen(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Cameroun)
1947.07.10: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Libreville / Liberopolitan(us) (Latin)
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Libreville / Liberopolitan(us) (Latin) (became suffragan of Brazzaville)
1958.12.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Libreville / Liberopolitan(us) (Latin) (with suffragan see Mouila and lost territory to establish Diocese of Mouila)
1969.05.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Oyem and gained suffragan see Oyem
1974.10.05: Gained suffragan see Franceville
2003.03.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Port-Gentil and gained suffragan see Port-Gentil

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1982.02)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2020.03.12 – ...):

Archbishop Jean-Patrick Iba-Ba (58)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Gabon

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Libreville (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Jean-Patrick Iba-Ba (58)
(2020.03.12 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Libreville (Gabon)
Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Gabon

Serviteur pour l’Amour de Jésus

Born:	1966.04.18 (Libreville, Gabon)
Ordained Priest:	1998.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2018.01.13

Priest of Libreville (Gabon) (1998.07.19 – 2017.11.04)

Bishop of Franceville (Gabon) (2017.11.04 – 2020.03.12)

Apostolic Administrator of Franceville (Gabon) (2020.03.12 – 2022.07.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Libreville (Gabon) (2020.03.12 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Gabon (2022.11.04 – ...)

Archbishop Basile Mvé Engone, S.D.B. (83)
(1998.04.03 – 2020.03.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Libreville (Gabon)

Born:	1941.05.30 (Nkolmelène, Gabon)
Ordained Priest:	1973.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.08.24

Coadjutor Bishop of Oyem (Gabon) (1980.04.24 – 1982.08.23)

Bishop of Oyem (Gabon) (1982.08.23 – 1998.04.03)

President of Episcopal Conference of Gabon (1989 – 2005)

President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central Africa Region (1994 – 1997)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Libreville (Gabon) (1998.04.03 – 2020.03.12)

Apostolic Administrator of Franceville (Gabon) (2016.04.04 – 2017.11.04)

Archbishop André Fernand Anguilé
(1969.05.29 – 1998.04.03)

Born:	1922.05.15 (Gabon)
Ordained Priest:	1950.07.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1969.08.01
Died:	2001.12.10 († 79)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Libreville (Gabon) (1969.05.29 – 1998.04.03)

President of Episcopal Conference of Gabon (1970 – 1981)

Archbishop Jean-Jerôme Adam, C.S.Sp.
(1958.12.11 – 1969.05.29)

Born:	1904.06.08 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1928.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.12.09
Died:	1981.07.11 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Rhinocorura (1947.07.10 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Libreville (Gabon) (1947.07.10 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Libreville (Gabon) (1955.09.14 – 1958.12.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Libreville (Gabon) (1958.12.11 – 1969.05.29)

Titular Archbishop of Brescello (1969.05.29 – 1976.10.27)

Bishops of Libreville (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Jerôme Adam, C.S.Sp. (later Archbishop)
(1955.09.14 – 1958.12.11)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Libreville (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Jerôme Adam, C.S.Sp. (later Archbishop)
(1947.07.10 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Gabon (Roman Rite)

Bishop Louis-Michel-François Tardy, C.S.Sp.
(1926.01.04 – 1947.01.28)

Born:	1882.12.21 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1908.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.01.25
Died:	1947.01.28 († 64)

Titular Bishop of Acalissus (1925.12.18 – 1947.01.28)

Vicar Apostolic of Gabon (Gabon) (1926.01.04 – 1947.01.28)

Bishop Louis Jean Martrou, C.S.Sp.
(1914.05.07 – 1925.03.22)

Born:	1876.12.04 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1899.08.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1913.02.24
Died:	1925.03.22 († 48)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Gabon (Gabon) (1912.12.10 – 1914.05.07)

Titular Bishop of Corycus (1912.12.10 – 1925.03.22)

Vicar Apostolic of Gabon (Gabon) (1914.05.07 – 1925.03.22)

Bishop Jean Martin Adam, C.S.Sp.
(1897.02.16 – 1914.05.07)

Born:	1846.08.25 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1872.11.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1897.06.06
Died:	1929.01.14 († 82)

Vicar Apostolic of Gabon (Gabon) (1897.02.16 – 1914.05.07)

Titular Bishop of Thmuis (1897.02.16 – 1929.01.14)

Bishop Alexandre-Louis-Victor-Aimé Le Roy, C.S.Sp. (later Archbishop)
(1892.07.03 – 1896.05.24)

Born:	1854.01.19 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1876.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1892.10.09
Died:	1938.04.21 († 84)

Vicar Apostolic of Gabon (Gabon) (1892.07.03 – 1896.05.24)

Titular Bishop of Alinda (1892.07.03 – 1921.05.13)

Superior General of Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans, Holy Ghost Fathers) (1896.07 – 1926)

Titular Archbishop of Caria (1921.05.13 – 1938.04.21)

Bishop Pierre-Marie Le Berre, C.S.Sp.
(1877.09.07 – 1891.07.16)

Born:	1819.08.01 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1844.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1877.10.28
Died:	1891.07.16 († 71)

Titular Bishop of Arca in Phœnicia (1877.09.07 – 1891.07.16)

Vicar Apostolic of Gabon (Gabon) (1877.09.07 – 1891.07.16)

Vicars Apostolic of Deux Guinées (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-René Bessieux, C.S.Sp.
(1863.02.06 – 1876.04.30)

Born:	1803.12.24 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1829.06.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1849.01.14
Died:	1876.04.30 († 72)

Vicar Apostolic of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (Gabon) (1848.06.20 – 1863.02.06)

Titular Bishop of Callipolis (1848.06.20 – 1876.04.30)

Vicar Apostolic of Deux Guinées (Gabon) (1863.02.06 – 1876.04.30)

Vicars Apostolic of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-René Bessieux, C.S.Sp.
(1848.06.20 – 1863.02.06)

(see above)

Bishop Jean-Benoît Truffet, C.S.Sp.
(1846.09.22 – 1847.11.23)

Born:	1812.10.29 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1835.07.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1847.01.25
Died:	1847.11.23 († 35)

Titular Bishop of Callipolis (1846.09.22 – 1847.11.23)

Vicar Apostolic of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (Gabon) (1846.09.22 – 1847.11.23)

Fr. Eugène Tisserant
(1844 – 1846)

Died:

1846

Vicar Apostolic of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (Gabon) (1844 – 1846)

Bishop Edward Barron
(1842.10.03 – 1844.09.03)

Born:	1801.06.28 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1826
Consecrated Bishop:	1842.11.01
Died:	1854.09.12 († 53)

Titular Bishop of Constantina (1842.10.03 – 1844.03.02)

Vicar Apostolic of Deux Guinées et Sénégambie (Gabon) (1842.10.03 – 1844.09.03)

Titular Bishop of Eucarpia (1844.03.02 – 1854.09.12)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Louis Jean Martrou, C.S.Sp. (1912.12.10 – 1914.05.07)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Aloyse Kobès, C.S.Sp. (1848.09.22 – 1863.02.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Mathieu Madega Lebouakehan (64) (2000.02.17 – 2003.03.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop François Ndong (1960.11.15 – 1969.05.29)