Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Saurimo

Angola

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Saurimo (Português) / Saurimoën(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Dundo, Luena

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Assunção (August 15)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1975.08.10: Established as Diocese of Henrique de Carvalho / Henrici de Carvalho (Latin) (from Diocese of Malanje and became suffragan of Luanda)
1979.05.16: Renamed as Diocese of Saurimo (Português) / Saurimoën(sis) (Latin)
2001.11.09: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Dundo
2011.04.12: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saurimo (Português) / Saurimoën(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Dundo and Luena)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2011.04.12 – ...):

Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba (60)

President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé

Vice-President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Saurimo (Roman Rite)

Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba (60)
(2011.04.12 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Saurimo (Angola)
President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé
Vice-President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa

Born:	1965.01.07 (Boma, Angola)
Ordained Priest:	1991.12.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.12.14

Priest of Luena (Angola) (1991.12.29 – 2008.10.06)

Bishop of Dundo (Angola) (2008.10.06 – 2011.04.12)

Apostolic Administrator of Saurimo (Angola) (2008.10.06 – 2011.04.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Saurimo (Angola) (2011.04.12 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (2015.11.09 – 2021.10.11)

President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (2021.10.11 – ...)

Vice-President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (2022.09.26 – ...)

Bishops of Saurimo (Roman Rite)

Bishop José Manuel Imbamba (60) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2008.10.06 – 2011.04.12)

Bishop Eugenio Dal Corso, P.S.D.P. (later Cardinal)
(1997.01.15 – 2008.02.18)

Born:	1939.05.16 (Lugo di Valpantena di Grezzana, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1963.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.03.03
Created Cardinal:	2019.10.05
Died:	2024.10.20 (Negrar, Italy † 85)

Coadjutor Bishop of Saurimo (Angola) (1995.12.15 – 1997.01.15)

Bishop of Saurimo (Angola) (1997.01.15 – 2008.02.18)

Bishop of Benguela (Angola) (2008.02.18 – 2018.03.26)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Anastasia (2019.10.05 [2019.11.17] – 2024.10.20)

Bishop Pedro Marcos Ribeiro da Costa
(1979.05.16 – 1997.01.15)

Born:	1921.10.21 (Angola)
Ordained Priest:	1949.01.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.03.20
Died:	2010.09.02 († 88)

Bishop of Henrique de Carvalho (Angola) (1977.02.03 – 1979.05.16)

Bishop of Saurimo (Angola) (1979.05.16 – 1997.01.15)

Bishops of Henrique de Carvalho (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pedro Marcos Ribeiro da Costa
(1977.02.03 – 1979.05.16)

(see above)

Bishop Manuel Franklin da Costa (later Archbishop)
(1975.08.10 – 1977.02.03)

Born:	1921.08.31 (Angola)
Ordained Priest:	1948.01.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.09.14
Died:	2003.07.17 († 81)

Bishop of Henrique de Carvalho (Angola) (1975.08.10 – 1977.02.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Huambo (Angola) (1977.02.03 – 1986.09.12)

President of Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (1982 – 1990)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubango (Angola) (1986.09.12 – 1997.01.15)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Eugenio Dal Corso, P.S.D.P. (later Cardinal) (1995.12.15 – 1997.01.15)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Saurimo, Lunda Sul

Kwito-Bié (↙), Malanje (←), Dundo (↑), Kolwezi (→), Luena (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 77,600 km²

Population: 72,437 Catholics (12.9% of 559,720 total)

Pastoral Centres: 7 parishes, 4 missions

Personnel: 21 priests (14 diocesan, 7 religious), 51 religious (18 brothers, 33 sisters), 28 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.04.02

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