Catholic Church in Nigeria

The Catholic Church in Nigeria is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, the curia in Rome, and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The present president of the CBCN as of 2020 is Augustine Obiora Akubeze, Archbishop of Benin city, who was preceded by the Archbishop of Jos Catholic Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama.[2][3]


Catholic Church in Nigeria
TypeNational polity
ClassificationCatholic
GovernanceCatholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria
PopePope Francis
PresidentAugustine Obiora Akubeze
RegionNigeria
LanguageEnglish, Latin
Members20.0 million (2010)[1]
Official websiteCatholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria
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    The Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches comprise the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. In 2005, there were an estimated 19 million baptised Catholics in Nigeria.[4] In 2010 the Catholic population accounted for approximately 12.6% of the population.[5]

    Nigeria, together with Congo Democratic Republic, boasts of the highest number of priests in Africa. The boom in vocation to the priesthood in Nigeria is mainly in the eastern part (especially among the Igbo ethnic group) which accounts for over 70 percent of the country's Catholic population.

    The second papal visit to the country in 1998 witnessed the beatification of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi.[6] Pope John Paul II proclaimed him blessed at Oba, Onitsha Archdiocese, a local Church established by the apostle of eastern Nigerian, Bishop Joseph Shanahan, CSSp.

    The official patron saints of Nigeria are: Mary, Queen of Nigeria and Saint Patrick of Ireland.[7]

    Map of Nigeria

    List of dioceses
    Archdioceses9
    Suffragan Dioceses43
    Apostolic Vicariates2
    Parishes1,905 (2004)
    Diocesan Priests3,452
    Religious Priests694
    ♦Total Priests4,146 (2004)
    Religious Women3,674
    Major seminaries in Nigeria6
    Major seminarians
    Minor seminaries in Nigeria20
    Minor seminarians
    ♦Total seminarians3,755 (2004)
    Educational institutes4,163
    Charitable institutes1,202
    ReferencesItalian page for 2004[8]
    Main article: List of Catholic dioceses in Nigeria

    Within Nigeria the hierarchy consists of:

    • Archbishopric
      • Bishopric

    Immediately subject to the Holy See:

    Episcopal conference
    Main article: Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria

    The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria is the Nigerian episcopal conference.

    Catholic traditionalism

    A more traditionalist subset of the Catholic Church is also present in Nigeria and embodied by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (Nne Enyemaka Shrine,[9] Umuaka). There also exists a community of the irregular status Society of St. Pius X (Saint Michael's Priory,[10][11] Enugu).

    Catholic universities in Nigeria

    Major seminaries in Nigeria

    Minor seminaries in Nigeria
    • St. Augustine's seminary, Amechi Ezzamgbo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
    • Queen of Apostles Seminary, Afaha Obong, Abak, Akwa Ibom State
    • Immaculate Conception Seminary, Mfamosing, Cross River State
    • St. John Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin-Ladi, Plateau State
    • St. James' Junior Seminary, Yandev Gboko
    • St. Jude's Minor Seminary, Kuje Abuja
    • St Theresa's Minor Seminary Oke-Are Ibadan
    • Sacred Hearts Minor Seminary Akure
    • St. Clement's Minor Seminary, Adankolo-Lokoja, Kogi State
    • St Paul's Seminary Ukpor, Nnewi Anambra State
    • All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha Anambra State
    • St Joseph's Seminary Special Science School, Awka-Etiti Anambra State.
    • Mercy Seminary, Bende Abia State
    • Immaculate Conception Seminary, Ahiaeke Umuahia, Abia State
    • St. Dominic Savio Seminary, Akpu, Anambra State
    • St John Bosco Seminary, Isuaniocha, Anambra State
    • Holy Martyrs of Uganda seminary Effurun, Delta State
    • Annunciation Seminary Amaudara, Abia State
    • St John-cross minor seminary, Isienu-Nsukka, Enugu state
    • St Charles Borromeo seminary, Imiringi, Bayelsa State.
    • St Mary's Seminary Umuowa, Orlu, Imo State.
    • Bonus Pastor Seminary Osina, Ideato North, Imo State.
    • Assumpta Minor Seminary, Owerri Archdiocese.
    • Mater Ecclesiae Seminary, Nguru Mbaise, Ahiara Diocese
    • St Peter Claver's Seminary Okpala Owerri Archdiocese
    • Pope John Paul II Seminary Yala Okpoma Ogoja Diocese
    • St. Peter's Seminary Ogii, Okigwe Diocese
    • Sacred Heart Seminary, Rumuebiekwe Port Hacourt, Port hacourt Diocese
    • St. Felix Seminary Ejeme-Anigor, Delta State
    • St. Joseph Seminary Basawa, Zaria, Kaduna State.

    Nigerians who have been canonized

    Catholic religious congregations founded in Nigeria

    Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, Ikeja, Lagos-State.

    • Sisters of Jesus Crucified, Uratta, Owerri, Imo State

    Missionary societies active in Nigeria

    Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate - Website: www.omiworld.org

    See also

    References
    1. "Table: Christian Population in Numbers by Country | Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project". Features.pewforum.org. 19 December 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
    2. "Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)". www.cbcn-ng.org. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    3. Olowolagba, Fikayo (22 February 2018). "Catholic bishops elect new president". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
    4. Craig Timberg, "Nigeria's Spiritual Rainmaker is Eyed at Vatican," Washington Poet, 17 April 2005, A1
    5. Pew Research Center: Christian Population as Percentages of total population by country 2010 https://www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/table-christian-population-as-percentages-of-total-population-by-country/
    6. "Blessed Iwene Tansi: The patron saint of Nigeria's democracy @20". TheCable. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
    7. Online, Catholic. "Patron Saints: N – Saints & Angels". Catholic Online. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    8. Italian WikiPage Chiesa Cattolica in Nigeria statistics from 2004 it:Chiesa cattolica in Nigeria
    9. "FSSP in Nigeria". www.fsspnigeria.org. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    10. "District of Great Britain". District of Great Britain. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    12. "Veritas University Abuja". www.veritas.edu.ng. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    13. "Welcome to Pan-Atlantic University". Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    14. "DON BOSCO INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHY, IBADAN – Lumen et Sapientia". Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    15. "Welcome". Dominican Institute. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
    16. "Untitled Document". www.afrikaworld.net. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
    17. "Daughters of Divine Love (DDL) website". Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2013.

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