Diocese of Mahajanga, Madagascar 🇲🇬

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Name: Mahajanga / Mahagiangan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Antsiranana

Neighbouring Dioceses: Maintirano (↙), Ambanja (↗), Port-Bergé (→), Ambatondrazaka (↘), Miarinarivo (↓), Tsiroanomandidy (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1923.03.15: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Majunga / Maiungæn(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Diégo-Suarez)
1938.01.08: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Morondava
1939.05.25: Lost territory to Apostolic Vicariate of Miarinarivo
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Majunga / Maiungæn(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Tananarive)
1958.12.11: Became suffragan of Diégo-Suarez
1989.10.28: Renamed as Diocese of Mahajanga / Mahagiangan(us) (Latin)
1993.10.18: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Port-Bergé
2017.02.08: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Maintirano

Present Prelates

Bishop (2022.11.19 – ...):

Bishop Zygmunt Robaszkiewicz, M.S.F. (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Mahajanga (Roman Rite)

Bishop Zygmunt Robaszkiewicz, M.S.F. (67)
(2022.11.19 – ...)

Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar)

Born:	1958.10.16 (Nietuszkowo, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1986.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.09.02

Bishop of Morombe (Madagascar) (2001.04.24 – 2022.11.19)

Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (2022.11.19 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Maintirano (Madagascar) (2023.10.01 – 2024.05.02)

Bishop Gustavo Bombín Espino, O.SS.T. (65) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2018.11.13 – 2022.11.19)

Bishop Roger Victor Solo Rakotondrajao
(2010.02.02 – 2018.11.03)

Born:	1960.03.26 (Befelatanana, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1990.07.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.07.06
Died:	2018.11.03 (Antananarivo, Madagascar † 58)

Priest of Miarinarivo (Madagascar) (1990.07.29 – 2008.04.18)

Coadjutor Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (2008.04.18 – 2010.02.02)

Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (2010.02.02 – 2018.11.03)

Bishop Joseph Ignace Randrianasolo
(1999.06.03 – 2010.02.02)

Born:	1947.07.31 (Nandihizana, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1975.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.02.08
Died:	2010.02.04 († 62)

Titular Bishop of Milevum (1997.10.24 – 1999.06.03)

Auxiliary Bishop of Antananarivo (Madagascar) (1997.10.24 – 1999.06.03)

Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (1999.06.03 – 2010.02.02)

Bishop Michel Malo, Prado (88) (later Archbishop)
(1996.03.29 – 1998.11.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Antsiranana (Madagascar)

Born:	1938.03.24 (Maroantsetra, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1971.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.12.11

Auxiliary Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (1988.09.01 – 1993.10.18)

Titular Bishop of Croæ (1988.09.01 – 1996.03.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Antsiranana (Madagascar) (1993.10.18 – 1996.03.29)

Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (1996.03.29 – 1998.11.28)

Apostolic Administrator of Ambanja (Madagascar) (1997.10.25 – 1998.11.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antsiranana (Madagascar) (1998.11.28 – 2013.11.27)

Bishop Armand Gaétan Razafindratandra (later Cardinal)
(1989.10.28 – 1994.02.03)

Ut omnes unum sint

Born:	1925.08.07 (Ambohimalaza, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1954.07.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.07.02
Created Cardinal:	1994.11.26
Died:	2010.01.09 (Mahajanga, Madagascar † 84)

Priest of Tananarive (Madagascar) (1954.07.27 – 1978.04.27)

Bishop of Majunga (Madagascar) (1978.04.27 – 1989.10.28)

Bishop of Mahajanga (Madagascar) (1989.10.28 – 1994.02.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Antananarivo (Madagascar) (1994.02.03 – 2005.12.07)

Apostolic Administrator of Miarinarivo (Madagascar) (1994.07 – 1998.02.14)

Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti (1994.11.26 – 2010.01.09)

President of Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (1996 – 2002)

Bishops of Majunga (Roman Rite)

Bishop Armand Gaétan Razafindratandra (later Cardinal)
(1978.04.27 – 1989.10.28)

(see above)

Bishop Jean David, C.S.Sp.
(1955.09.14 – 1978.04.27)

Born:	1912.07.22 (Cholet, France)
Ordained Priest:	1938.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.07.01
Died:	1995.07.03 (Angers, France † 82)

Titular Bishop of Metellopolis (1954.02.21 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Majunga (Madagascar) (1954.02.22 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Majunga (Madagascar) (1955.09.14 – 1978.04.27)

Vicars Apostolic of Majunga (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean David, C.S.Sp.
(1954.02.22 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Bishop Jean Batiot, C.S.Sp.
(1947.02.13 – 1953.08.31)

Born:	1898.10.03 (Chantonnay, France)
Ordained Priest:	1927.07.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.05.25
Died:	1953.08.31 († 54)

Titular Bishop of Attalea in Pamphylia (1947.02.13 – 1953.08.31)

Vicar Apostolic of Majunga (Madagascar) (1947.02.13 – 1953.08.31)

Bishop Jean Wolff, C.S.Sp. (later Archbishop)
(1941.07.08 – 1947.02.13)

Born:	1905.04.15 (Trogues, France)
Ordained Priest:	1928.07.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1941.10.26
Died:	1990.01.20 († 84)

Vicar Apostolic of Majunga (Madagascar) (1941.07.08 – 1947.02.13)

Titular Bishop of Phatanus (1941.07.08 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Diégo-Suarez (Madagascar) (1947.02.13 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Diégo-Suarez (Madagascar) (1955.09.14 – 1958.12.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Diégo-Suarez (Madagascar) (1958.12.11 – 1967.04.13)

Titular Archbishop of Gummi in Byzacena (1967.04.13 – 1971.05.24)

Bishop Paul-Auguste-Marie Pichot, C.S.Sp.
(1923.03.16 – 1940.05.10)

Born:	1874.07.11 (Les Cresnays, France)
Ordained Priest:	1899.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.06.30
Died:	1954.09.20 (Piré sur Seiche, France † 80)

Vicar Apostolic of Majunga (Madagascar) (1923.03.16 – 1940.05.10)

Titular Bishop of Raphanea (1923.03.16 – 1954.09.20)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Roger Victor Solo Rakotondrajao (2008.04.18 – 2010.02.02)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Michel Malo, Prado (88) (later Archbishop) (1988.09.01 – 1993.10.18)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Armand Toasy (86) (1984.06.22 – 1987.07.03)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale du Cœur-Immaculé de Marie, Mahajanga, Mahajanga

Maintirano (↙), Ambanja (↗), Port-Bergé (→), Ambatondrazaka (↘), Miarinarivo (↓), Tsiroanomandidy (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 67,300 km²

Population: 285,962 Catholics (16.6% of 1,718,500 total)

Pastoral Centres: 20 parishes, 5 missions

Personnel: 63 priests (44 diocesan, 19 religious), 289 religious (38 brothers, 251 sisters), 30 seminarians