Diocese of

Sokodé

Togo

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sokodé / Sokoden(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Lomé

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1937.05.18: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Sokodé / Sokoden(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Togo)
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Sokodé / Sokoden(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Lomé)
1960.03.01: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Dapango
1994.07.01: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Kara

Present Prelates

Bishop (2016.01.03 – ...):

Bishop Célestin-Marie Bawilima Gaoua (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sokodé (Roman Rite)

Bishop Célestin-Marie Bawilima Gaoua (67)
(2016.01.03 – ...)

Bishop of Sokodé (Togo)

Ad misericordiæ servitium

Born:	1957.04.06 (Wahala, Gabon)
Ordained Priest:	1986.12.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2016.03.05

Priest of Kara (Togo) (1986.12.27 – 2016.01.03)

Bishop of Sokodé (Togo) (2016.01.03 – ...)

Bishop Ambroise Kotamba Djoliba
(1993.04.05 – 2016.01.03)

Born:	1938 (Siou, Togo)
Ordained Priest:	1966.04.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1993.08.07
Died:	2024.03.15 (Togo † 85)

Priest of Sokodé (Togo) (1966.04.11 – 1993.04.05)

Bishop of Sokodé (Togo) (1993.04.05 – 2016.01.03)

President of Episcopal Conference of Togo (2006 – 2012.06.21)

Bishop Chrétien Matawo Bakpessi
(1965.08.09 – 1992.04.27)

Born:	1924 (Togo)
Ordained Priest:	1952.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.12.05
Died:	1992.04.27 († 67)

Bishop of Sokodé (Togo) (1965.08.09 – 1992.04.27)

Bishop Jérôme-Théodore Lingenheim, S.M.A.
(1955.09.14 – 1964.11.18)

Born:	1906.11.09 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1932.01.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.10.28
Died:	1985.05.03 († 78)

Prefect Apostolic of Sokodé (Togo) (1946.06.07 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Sokodé (Togo) (1955.09.14 – 1964.11.18)

Titular Bishop of Thunudruma (1964.11.18 – 1985.05.03)

Prefects Apostolic of Sokodé (Roman Rite)

Fr. Jérôme-Théodore Lingenheim, S.M.A. (later Bishop)
(1946.06.07 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Fr. Joseph-Paul Strebler, S.M.A. (later Archbishop)
(1937.05 – 1945.11.08)

Born:	1892.09.12 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1921.07.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.06.29
Died:	1984.03.12 († 91)

Prefect Apostolic of Sokodé (Togo) (1937.05 – 1945.11.08)

Titular Bishop of Curubis (1945.11.08 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Lomé (Togo) (1945.11.08 – 1955.09.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lomé (Togo) (1955.09.14 – 1961.06.16)

Titular Archbishop of Nicopolis in Epiro (1961.06.16 – 1971.06.11)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Sainte-Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus, Sokodé, Centrale

Jasikan (↙), Yendi (↖), Kara (↑), Djougou (↗), Dassa-Zoumé (↘), Atakpamé (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 12,610 km²

Population: 206,140 Catholics (12.0% of 1,720,500 total)

Pastoral Centres: 24 parishes, 87 missions

Personnel: 79 priests (59 diocesan, 20 religious), 130 religious (31 brothers, 99 sisters), 31 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.01.03

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