Diocese of Xai-Xai, Mozambique 🇲🇿

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Xai-Xai / Xai-Xaien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Maputo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Maputo (↙), Witbank (←), Tzaneen (←), Masvingo (↖), Chimoio (↑), Inhambane (→)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint John the Baptist

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1970.06.19: Established as Diocese of João Belo / Belopolitan(us) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques and became suffragan of Lourenço Marques)
1976.10.01: Renamed as Diocese of Xai-Xai / Xai-Xaien(sis) (Latin)

Present Prelates

Bishop:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2026.02.22 – ...):	Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, O.F.M. Cap. (78) Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Maputo (Mozambique)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Xai-Xai (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, O.F.M. Cap. (78)
(Apostolic Administrator 2026.02.22 – ...)

Bishop Lucio Andrice Muandula (66)
(2004.06.24 – 2025.12.17)

Bishop of Chimoio (Mozambique)
First Vice-President of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar

Born:	1959.10.09 (Maputo, Mozambique)
Ordained Priest:	1989.05.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.10.24

Priest of Maputo (Mozambique) (1989.05.14 – 2004.06.24)

Bishop of Xai-Xai (Mozambique) (2004.06.24 – 2025.12.17)

President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (2009 – 2015.11.10)

President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (2016.11 – 2022.09.26)

President of Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (2018.11.11 – 2021.11.12)

Second Vice-President of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (2019.07.19 – 2023.02.15)

First Vice-President of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (2023.02.15 – ...)

Bishop of Chimoio (Mozambique) (2025.12.17 – ...)

Bishop Júlio Duarte Langa (98) (later Cardinal)
(1976.10.01 – 2004.06.24)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Gabriele dell’Addolorata
Bishop emeritus of Xai-Xai (Mozambique)

In finem dilexit eos

Born:	1927.10.27 (Magunze, Mozambique)
Ordained Priest:	1957.06.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.10.24
Created Cardinal:	2015.02.14

Priest of Lourenço Marques (Mozambique) (1957.06.09 – 1976.05.31)

Bishop of João Belo (Mozambique) (1976.05.31 – 1976.10.01)

Bishop of Xai-Xai (Mozambique) (1976.10.01 – 2004.06.24)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Gabriele dell’Addolorata (2015.02.14 [2015.05.10] – ...)

Bishops of João Belo (Roman Rite)

Bishop-elect Júlio Duarte Langa (98) (later Cardinal)
(1976.05.31 – 1976.10.01)

(see above)

Bishop Félix Niza Ribeiro
(1972.02.19 – 1976.05.31)

Born:	1916.09.29 (Proença a Velha, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1940.05.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.03.24
Died:	1989.01.19 (Porto Salvo, Mozambique † 72)

Bishop of Tete (Mozambique) (1962.12.20 – 1972.02.19)

Bishop of João Belo (Mozambique) (1972.02.19 – 1976.05.31)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Alberto Vera Aréjula, O. de M. (68) (2015.03.30 – 2018.04.25)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Catedral São João Baptista, Xai-Xai, Gaza

Maputo (↙), Witbank (←), Tzaneen (←), Masvingo (↖), Chimoio (↑), Inhambane (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 75,709 km²

Population: 504,000 Catholics (34.8% of 1,446,654 total)

Pastoral Centres: 29 parishes

Personnel: 35 priests (21 diocesan, 14 religious), 111 religious (16 brothers, 95 sisters), 18 seminarians