Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Ambositra, 1999
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has created (June 3rd 1999) the diocese of Ambositra (Madagascar) with territory taken from the archdiocese of Fianarantsoa, making it suffragan of the same metropolitan Church.
The new diocese of Ambositra (Madagascar) situated in the north of the archdiocese of Fianarantsoa, will geographically embrace the territory of the civil region of Borgou-Alibori, of which Kandi is the main town. It will border to the east with the dioceses of Taomasina and Mananjary, to the north with the diocese of Antsirabe, to the west with the diocese of Morombe and to the south with the archdiocese of Fianarantsoa.
The diocese will include the civic prefectures of Ambositra Urbano, Fandriana, Ambotofinandrahana and Manandriana.
The reasons for the creation of the new diocese of Ambositra are the following:
- The vast extension of the mother-diocese
- an increase in the number of catechumens, in communities showing an interest in Christianity and in the number of conversions
- a desire to provide capillary evangelization in the diocese.
Here are the statistics:
Fianarantsoa before |
Ambositra |
Fianarantsoa today |
|
Area |
49,121 sq km |
15,000 sq km |
34,121 sq km |
population |
1,460,981 |
540,000 |
920,981 |
Catholics |
689,091 |
262,233 |
426,858 |
parishes |
- | - | - |
priests diocesan |
71 |
27 |
44 |
priests religious |
271 |
48 |
223 |
Sisters |
443 |
147 |
296 |
major seminarians |
47 |
16 |
31 |
catechists |
1,920 |
380 |
1,540 |
The new Bishop will reside at Ambositra and the parish church dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will be the cathedral.
Source: Fides, July 30th, 1999
- CT
