Roman Catholic diocese in Madagascar
Diocese of Ambanja
Dioecesis Ambaniaënsis |
|---|
|
|
| Country |  Madagascar |
|---|
| Metropolitan | Antsiranana |
|---|
|
| Area | 34,083 km2 (13,160 sq mi) |
|---|
Population
- Total
- Catholics | (as of 2006)
1,241,000
109,217 (8.8%) |
|---|
|
| Rite | Latin Rite |
|---|
| Cathedral | Saint Joseph Cathedral[1] |
|---|
|
| Pope | Francis |
|---|
| Bishop | Donatien Francis Randriamalala, MS |
|---|
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ambanja (Latin: Ambaniaën[sis]) is a diocese located in the city of Ambanja in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antsiranana in Madagascar. Its episcopal see is the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, which was constructed in 1933.
History
On September 4, 1848, the Apostolic Prefecture of Isole di Mayotta, Nossi-Bé e Comore was established from the Apostolic Vicariate of Madagascar. In 1843 the French Government, called in by the sultan, had taken possession of Mayotte, which became, with Nossi-Bé, a post of surveillance over Madagascar. These islands later formed a French colony, with a population largely Muslim. Mayotte, Nossi-Bé and the Comoros were made an Apostolic prefecture and confided to the Fathers of the Holy Ghost.
In 1898, when the same missionaries were given the ecclesiastical administration of Northern Madagascar, these smaller islands and Santa Maria were attached to the then Apostolic Vicariate of Diégo-Suarez. Santa Maria and Nossi-Bé had resident missionaries.[2]