Diocese of

Porto Novo

Benin

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Porto Novo / Portus Novi (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Cotonou

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1954.04.05: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Porto Novo / Portus Novi (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Ouidah)
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Porto Novo / Portus Novi (Latin) (became suffragan of Cotonou)
1963.04.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Abomey

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.10.24 – ...):

Bishop Aristide Gonsallo (58)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Benin

Ordinaries

Bishops of Porto Novo (Roman Rite)

Bishop Aristide Gonsallo (58)
(2015.10.24 – ...)

Bishop of Porto Novo (Benin)
Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Benin

Born:	1966.09.04 (Cotonou, Benin)
Ordained Priest:	1992.12.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.12.19

Priest of Parakou (Benin) (1992.12.27 – 2015.10.24)

Bishop of Porto Novo (Benin) (2015.10.24 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Benin (2023.05.26 – ...)

Fr. Jean-Benoît Gnambode, C.I.M.
(Apostolic Administrator 2012.10.27 – 2015.10.24)

Bishop René-Marie Ehuzu, C.I.M.
(2007.01.03 – 2012.10.17)

Born:	1944.04.12 (Benin)
Ordained Priest:	1972.09.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.01.06
Died:	2012.10.17 († 68)

Bishop of Abomey (Benin) (2002.11.25 – 2007.01.03)

Bishop of Porto Novo (Benin) (2007.01.03 – 2012.10.17)

Bishop Marcel Honorat Léon Agboton (later Archbishop)
(2000.01.29 – 2005.03.05)

Servus ancillæ filius

Born:	1941.01.16 (Avrankou, Benin)
Ordained Priest:	1966.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.03.25
Died:	2023.09.14 (Benin † 82)

Priest of Porto Novo (Benin) (1966.01.06 – 1994.12.19)

Bishop of Kandi (Benin) (1994.12.19 – 2000.01.29)

Bishop of Porto Novo (Benin) (2000.01.29 – 2005.03.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotonou (Benin) (2005.03.05 – 2010.08.21)

Bishop Vincent Mensah
(1970.09.21 – 2000.01.29)

Born:	1924.07.19 (Benin)
Ordained Priest:	1952.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.12.19
Died:	2010.03.10 († 85)

Bishop of Porto Novo (Benin) (1970.09.21 – 2000.01.29)

Bishop Noël Boucheix, S.M.A.
(1958.07.06 – 1969.01.01)

Born:	1900.12.25 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1924.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.06.10
Died:	1985.05.08 († 84)

Titular Bishop of Bagai (1953.03.11 – 1958.07.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Heliopolis of Egypt (Egypt) (1953.03.11 – 1958.07.06)

Bishop of Porto Novo (Benin) (1958.07.06 – 1969.01.01)

Titular Bishop of Bahanna (1969.01.01 – 1976.08.06)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de l’Immaculée Conception, Porto-Novo, Ouémé

Cotonou (←), Abomey (↖), Dassa-Zoumé (↑), Abeokuta (↗), Lagos (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 4,545 km²

Population: 795,130 Catholics (39.5% of 2,015,130 total)

Pastoral Centres: 99 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 219 priests (198 diocesan, 21 religious), 186 religious (26 brothers, 160 sisters), 91 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.04.02

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