Diocese of Tôlagnaro, Madagascar

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Tôlagnaro / Tolagnaren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Toliara

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Vincent de Paul

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1896.01.16: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Madagascar / Madagascar Meridionale (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Madagascar)
1913.05.20: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Fort-Dauphin / Arcis Delphini (Latin)
1955.09.14: Promoted as Diocese of Fort-Dauphin / Arcis Delphini (Latin) (became suffragan of Tananarive)
1957.04.08: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Farafangana and Diocese of Tuléar
1958.12.11: Became suffragan of Fianarantsoa
1967.04.13: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Ihosy
1989.11.23: Renamed as Diocese of Tôlagnaro / Tolagnaren(sis) (Latin)
2003.12.03: Became suffragan of Toliara

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.12.05 – ...):

Bishop Luc Olivier Razafitsimialona (54)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Tôlagnaro (Roman Rite)

Bishop Luc Olivier Razafitsimialona (54)
(2023.12.05 – ...)

Bishop of Tôlagnaro (Madagascar)

Born:	1969.10.10 (Ambositra, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1998.08.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.01.28

Priest of Ihosy (Madagascar) (1998.08.09 – 2023.12.05)

Bishop of Tôlagnaro (Madagascar) (2023.12.05 – ...)

Bishop Vincent Rakotozafy (79)
(2001.04.24 – 2023.12.05)

Bishop emeritus of Tôlagnaro (Madagascar)

Born:	1944.10.10 (Mahasoabe, Madagascar)
Ordained Priest:	1975.04.06
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.09.23

Priest of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) (1975.04.06 – 2001.04.24)

Bishop of Tôlagnaro (Madagascar) (2001.04.24 – 2023.12.05)

Bishop Jean-Pierre-Dominique Zévaco, C.M.
(1989.11.23 – 2001.04.24)

Caritas Christi urget nos

Born:	1925.07.30 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1959.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1969.01.12
Died:	2017.07.25 († 91)

Bishop of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) (1968.09.26 – 1989.11.23)

Bishop of Tôlagnaro (Madagascar) (1989.11.23 – 2001.04.24)

Bishops of Fort-Dauphin (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Pierre-Dominique Zévaco, C.M.
(1968.09.26 – 1989.11.23)

(see above)

Bishop Alphonse-Marie-Victor Fresnel, C.M.
(1955.09.14 – 1968.09.26)

Born:	1897.08.01 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1924.09.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.06.04
Died:	1983.10.18 († 86)

Titular Bishop of Cataquas (1953.02.04 – 1955.09.14)

Vicar Apostolic of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) (1953.03.04 – 1955.09.14)

Bishop of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) (1955.09.14 – 1968.09.26)

Titular Bishop of Siminina (1968.09.26 – 1971.07.21)

Vicars Apostolic of Fort-Dauphin (Roman Rite)

Bishop Alphonse-Marie-Victor Fresnel, C.M.
(1953.03.04 – 1955.09.14)

(see above)

Bishop Antonio Sévat, C.M.
(1933.01.08 – 1953)

Born:	1878.05.15 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1904.05.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1928.11.30
Died:	1957.07.06 († 79)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) (1928.07.02 – 1933.01.08)

Titular Bishop of Ezerus (1928.07.02 – 1957.07.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) (1933.01.08 – 1953)

Bishop Jean-Jacques Crouzet, C.M.
(1913.05.20 – 1933.01.08)

Born:	1849.04.01 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1873.06.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1888.10.28
Died:	1933.01.08 († 83)

Vicar Apostolic of Abyssinia (Eritrea) (1888.10.01 – 1896.01.16)

Titular Bishop of Zephyrium (1888.10.01 – 1933.01.08)

Vicar Apostolic of Southern Madagascar (Madagascar) (1896.01.16 – 1913.05.20)

Vicar Apostolic of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) (1913.05.20 – 1933.01.08)

Vicars Apostolic of Southern Madagascar (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Jacques Crouzet, C.M.
(1896.01.16 – 1913.05.20)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Antonio Sévat, C.M. (1928.07.02 – 1933.01.08)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Charles-François Lasne, C.M. (1911.02.15 – 1927.06.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Tôlagnaro, Toliara

Toliara (↖), Ihosy (↑), Farafangana (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 45,000 km²

Population: 181,009 Catholics (15.6% of 1,162,505 total)

Pastoral Centres: 19 parishes

Personnel: 50 priests (27 diocesan, 23 religious), 134 religious (35 brothers, 99 sisters), 23 seminarians