Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Nampula

Mozambique

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Nampula / Nampulen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Alto Molócuè, Lichinga, Nacala, Pemba

Neighbouring Dioceses: Alto Molócuè (↙), Gurúè (←), Lichinga (↖), Pemba (↗), Nacala (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Fátima

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: August 23 (1956)

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1940.09.04: Established as Diocese of Nampula / Nampulen(sis) (Latin) (from Territorial Prelature of Mozambique and became suffragan of Lourenço Marques)
1957.04.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Porto Amélia
1963.07.21: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Vila Cabral
1984.06.04: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nampula / Nampulen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Lichinga and Pemba)
1991.10.11: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Nacala and gained suffragan see Nacala
2025.01.23: Gained suffragan see Alto Molócuè

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1988.09)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2017.04.11 – ...):

Archbishop Inácio Saure, I.M.C. (66)

President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Nampula (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Inácio Saure, I.M.C. (66)
(2017.04.11 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nampula (Mozambique)
President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique

Born:	1960.03.02 (Balama, Mozambique)
Ordained Priest:	1998.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.05.22

Bishop of Tete (Mozambique) (2011.04.12 – 2017.04.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nampula (Mozambique) (2017.04.11 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (2018.11.11 – 2021.11.12)

President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (2021.11.12 – ...)

Bishop Ernesto Maguengue (61)
(Apostolic Administrator 2016.07.25 – 2017.04.11)

Archbishop Tomé Makhweliha, S.C.I. (81)
(2000.11.16 – 2016.07.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Nampula (Mozambique)

Born:	1945.01.02 (Mpwaha, Mozambique)
Ordained Priest:	1973.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.01.18

Bishop of Pemba (Mozambique) (1997.10.24 – 2000.11.16)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nampula (Mozambique) (2000.11.16 – 2016.07.20)

President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (2006 – 2009)

Archbishop Manuel da Silva Vieira Pinto
(1984.06.04 – 2000.11.16)

Born:	1923.12.08 (Amarante, Mozambique)
Ordained Priest:	1949.08.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.06.29
Died:	2020.04.30 (Porto, Portugal † 96)

Bishop of Nampula (Mozambique) (1967.04.21 – 1984.06.04)

President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (1975 – 1976)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nampula (Mozambique) (1984.06.04 – 2000.11.16)

Apostolic Administrator of Pemba (Mozambique) (1992.12.12 – 1998.01.18)

Bishops of Nampula (Roman Rite)

Bishop Manuel da Silva Vieira Pinto (later Archbishop)
(1967.04.21 – 1984.06.04)

(see above)

Bishop Manuel de Medeiros Guerreiro
(1951.03.02 – 1966.11.30)

Born:	1891.04.12 (Lagoa, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1913.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1937.08.15
Died:	1978.04.10 († 86)

Bishop of São Tomé de Meliapor (India) (1937.04.10 – 1951.03.02)

Bishop of Nampula (Mozambique) (1951.03.02 – 1966.11.30)

Titular Bishop of Præcausa (1966.11.30 – 1971.01.27)

Bishop Teófilo José Pereira de Andrade, O.F.M.
(1941.05.12 – 1951.02.17)

Born:	1881.01.14 (Cabreiros, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1905.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1941.06.29
Died:	1954.10.25 († 73)

Bishop of Nampula (Mozambique) (1941.05.12 – 1951.02.17)

Titular Bishop of Urusi (1951.02.17 – 1954.10.25)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Ernesto Maguengue (61) (2014.08.06 – 2022.04.04)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Germano Grachane, C.M. (83) (1990.01.22 – 1991.10.11)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral Metropolitana de Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Nampula, Nampula

Alto Molócuè (↙), Gurúè (←), Lichinga (↖), Pemba (↗), Nacala (→)

Statistics (2015.12.31)

Area: 51,000 km²

Population: 589,000 Catholics (13.3% of 4,423,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 40 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 97 priests (60 diocesan, 37 religious), 285 religious (88 brothers, 197 sisters), 26 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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