Diocese of Lichinga, Mozambique 🇲🇿

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Name: Lichinga / Lichingaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Nampula

Neighbouring Dioceses: Mangochi (↙), Mbinga (↑), Songea (↑), Tunduru–Masasi (↗), Pemba (→), Nampula (↘), Gurúè (↘), Quelimane (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Joseph

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: March 19

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1963.07.21: Established as Diocese of Vila Cabral / Cabralopolitan(us) (Latin) (from Diocese of Nampula and became suffragan of Lourenço Marques)
1976.07.29: Renamed as Diocese of Lichinga / Lichingaën(sis) (Latin)
1984.06.04: Became suffragan of Nampula

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.02.08 – ...):

Bishop Atanasio Amisse Canira (63)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Lichinga (Roman Rite)

Bishop Atanasio Amisse Canira (63)
(2015.02.08 – ...)

Bishop of Lichinga (Mozambique)

Born:	1962.05.02 (Mossoril, Mozambique)
Ordained Priest:	1993.12.12
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.03.22

Priest of Nacala (Mozambique) (1993.12.12 – 2015.02.08)

Bishop of Lichinga (Mozambique) (2015.02.08 – ...)

Bishop Elio Giovanni Greselin, S.C.I. (87)
(2008.12.30 – 2015.02.08)

Bishop emeritus of Lichinga (Mozambique)

Caritas Christi urget nos

Born:	1938.11.15 (Tretto di Venza, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1965.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.03.22

Bishop of Lichinga (Mozambique) (2008.12.30 – 2015.02.08)

Bishop Hilário Da Cruz Massinga, O.F.M. (67)
(Apostolic Administrator 2008.01.25 – 2008.12.30)

Bishop Hilário Da Cruz Massinga, O.F.M. (67)
(2003.04.05 – 2008.01.25)

Titular Bishop of Chullu
Auxiliary Bishop of Inhambane (Mozambique)

Eu confio na misericórdia de Deu

Born:	1958.06.25 (Banze, Gabon)
Ordained Priest:	1994.01.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.06.15

Bishop of Lichinga (Mozambique) (2003.04.05 – 2008.01.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Lichinga (Mozambique) (2008.01.25 – 2008.12.30)

Bishop of Quelimane (Mozambique) (2008.01.25 – 2023.08.11)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (2015.11.10 – 2018.11.11)

Titular Bishop of Chullu (2023.08.11 – ...)

Auxiliary Bishop of Inhambane (Mozambique) (2023.08.11 – ...)

Bishop Luís Gonzaga Ferreira da Silva, S.J.
(Apostolic Administrator 2003.01.25 – 2003.04.05)

Bishop Luís Gonzaga Ferreira da Silva, S.J.
(1976.07.29 – 2003.01.25)

Born:	1923.04.02 (Rebordões, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1953.07.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.12.17
Died:	2013.08.07 († 90)

Bishop of Vila Cabral (Mozambique) (1972.11.10 – 1976.07.29)

Bishop of Lichinga (Mozambique) (1976.07.29 – 2003.01.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Lichinga (Mozambique) (2003.01.25 – 2003.04.05)

Bishops of Vila Cabral (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luís Gonzaga Ferreira da Silva, S.J.
(1972.11.10 – 1976.07.29)

(see above)

Bishop Eurico Dias Nogueira (later Archbishop)
(1964.07.10 – 1972.02.19)

Born:	1923.03.06 (Dornelas do Zêzere, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1945.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.12.06
Died:	2014.05.19 (Braga, Portugal † 91)

Bishop of Vila Cabral (Mozambique) (1964.07.10 – 1972.02.19)

Bishop of Sá da Bandeira (Angola) (1972.02.19 – 1977.02.03)

Apostolic Administrator of Pereira de Eça (Angola) (1975 – 1977.02.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Braga (Portugal) (1977.02.03 – 1999.06.05)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral de São José, Lichinga, Niassa

Mangochi (↙), Mbinga (↑), Songea (↑), Tunduru–Masasi (↗), Pemba (→), Nampula (↘), Gurúè (↘), Quelimane (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 129,362 km²

Population: 310,000 Catholics (19.7% of 1,574,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 21 parishes

Personnel: 35 priests (27 diocesan, 8 religious), 114 religious (10 brothers, 104 sisters), 20 seminarians