Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Monrovia

Liberia

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Monrovia / Monrovien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Cape Palmas, Gbarnga

Neighbouring Dioceses: Bo (↖), Kenema (↑), Gbarnga (↗), Cape Palmas (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1903.04.18: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Liberia (from Apostolic Vicariate of Sierra Leone)
1934.04.09: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Liberia
1950.02.02: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Monrovia / Monrovien(sis) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Cape Palmas)
1981.12.19: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Monrovia / Monrovien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan see Cape Palmas)
1986.11.17: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Gbarnga and gained suffragan see Gbarnga

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2024.02.28 – ...):

Archbishop Gabriel Blamo Snosio Jubwe (67)

Monsignors (5)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Monrovia (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Gabriel Blamo Snosio Jubwe (67)
(2024.02.28 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia (Liberia)

Born:	1958.09.07 (Lagos, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1983.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.05.04

Priest of Monrovia (Liberia) (1983.12.18 – 2024.02.28)

General Secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (1998 – 2001)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1999.02.12 – 2024.02.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia (Liberia) (2024.02.28 – ...)

Fr. Charles Edmund Boyce
(Apostolic Administrator 2021.06.07 – 2021.09.19)

Archbishop Lewis Jerome Zeigler
(2011.02.12 – 2021.06.07)

Born:	1944.01.04 (Harrisburg, Liberia)
Ordained Priest:	1974.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2002.11.09
Died:	2022.08.12 (Monrovia, Liberia † 78)

Priest of Monrovia (Liberia) (1974.12.22 – 1986.11.17)

Priest of Gbarnga (Liberia) (1986.11.17 – 2002.05.30)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1999.11.21 – 2002.05.30)

Bishop of Gbarnga (Liberia) (2002.05.30 – 2009.07.11)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (2005.03 – 2017)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Monrovia (Liberia) (2009.07.11 – 2011.02.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia (Liberia) (2011.02.12 – 2021.06.07)

Msgr. Andrew Jagaye Karnley (59) (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 2005.02 – 2011.01.05)

Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis
(1981.12.19 – 2011.02.12)

The peace and charity of Christ

Born:	1936.02.12 (Kakata, Liberia)
Ordained Priest:	1963.08.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.12.19
Died:	2013.05.19 (Monrovia, Liberia † 77)

Priest of Monrovia (Liberia) (1963.08.04 – 1976.10.28)

Titular Bishop of Ausuccura (1976.10.28 – 1981.12.19)

Vicar Apostolic of Monrovia (Liberia) (1976.10.28 – 1981.12.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia (Liberia) (1981.12.19 – 2011.02.12)

President of Inter-territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Gambia and Sierra Leone / ITCABIC (1983 – 1986)

President of Association of the Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (1989 – 1996)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (1999 – 2005)

Vicars Apostolic of Monrovia (Roman Rite)

Bishop Michael Kpakala Francis (later Archbishop)
(1976.10.28 – 1981.12.19)

(see above)

Archbishop Francis Carroll, S.M.A.
(1960.12.20 – 1976.10.28)

Born:	1912.06.12 (Newry, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1936.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.05.21
Died:	1980.10.10 (Newry, Ireland † 68)

Prefect Apostolic of Cape Palmas (Liberia) (1950.10.27 – 1960.12.20)

Titular Bishop of Sozopolis in Hæmimonto (1960.12.20 – 1964.01.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Monrovia (Liberia) (1960.12.20 – 1976.10.28)

Apostolic Internuncio to Liberia (1961.11.09 – 1966.03.07)

Titular Archbishop of Gabula (1964.01.14 – 1980.10.10)

Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Liberia (1966.03.07 – 1979.08.25)

Bishop John Collins, S.M.A.
(1934.04.09 – 1960.12.20)

Born:	1889.08.21 (Leap, Cork, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1913.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.09.30
Died:	1961.03.03 (Monrovia, Liberia † 71)

Prefect Apostolic of Liberia (Liberia) (1932.02.26 – 1934.04.09)

Vicar Apostolic of Monrovia (Liberia) (1934.04.09 – 1960.12.20)

Titular Bishop of Thala (1934.04.09 – 1961.03.03)

Apostolic Internuncio to Liberia (1951.07.12 – 1960.12.20)

Prefects Apostolic of Liberia (Roman Rite)

Fr. John Collins, S.M.A. (later Bishop)
(1932.02.26 – 1934.04.09)

(see above)

Fr. Giovanni Ogé, S.M.A.
(1911.01.03 – 1931)

Died:

1931

Prefect Apostolic of Liberia (Liberia) (1911.01.03 – 1931)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Lewis Jerome Zeigler (2009.07.11 – 2011.02.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Monrovia, Montserrado

Bo (↖), Kenema (↑), Gbarnga (↗), Cape Palmas (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 15,971 km²

Population: 148,511 Catholics (6.0% of 2,491,960 total)

Pastoral Centres: 33 parishes, 27 missions

Personnel: 50 priests (30 diocesan, 20 religious), 63 religious (27 brothers, 36 sisters), 16 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.07.02

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