Henrique of Kongo (bishop)

Henrique (born Henrique Kinu a Mvemba; 1495 - 1531) was a prince of Kongo and a son of Afonso I. He became a priest shortly after the Christianization of the kingdom and dedicated his life to the catechism of the Kongolese, being appointed in 1518 Titular bishop of Utica, in present-day Tunisia. He was the first central African bishop in history.[1]

His Excellency

Henrique Kinu a Mvemba
Bishop of Utica
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
DioceseRoman Catholic Diocese of Utica
Installed5 May 1518
Term ended1531
Orders
Consecrationby Pope Leo X
Personal details
Born1495
Nsundi
Died1531 (aged 35/36)
Kingdom of Kongo
Nationality
ParentsAfonso I
OccupationGovernor of Mpangu
Alma materUniversity of Coimbra
Coat of arms

History

According to the work of Filippo Pigafetta, The Kingdom of the Kongo and the Surrounding Regions (1591); written from the notes of Duarte Lopes, Henrique was born in Nsundi in 1495, being the son of Afonso I who was acclaimed King of the Kongo in 1509. Shortly afterwards the king sent many of his children and other nobles to study in Coimbra, Portugal to aid him in modernizing the kingdom. Among those sent included his own son Henrique, who was sponsored by the king Dom Manuel I, himself.[2]

On May 5, 1518, at the age of 24, the prince was elevated by Pope Leo X in Rome as Bishop of Utica, in present-day Tunisia, thus Henrique of Kongo was the first black bishop in history. However, he never received the bishopric since it was only titular, since Tunisia at the time was dominated by Muslims.[3]

In 1521 he returned to Kongo and was appointed governor of Mpangu, a province of the Kingdom. He would continue to serve in the Christianization of the kingdom until his death 10 years later.[4]

References
  1. Baquero Moreno, Humberto (1996). "Portugal: do Mediterrâneo ao Atlântico, no século XV". Anales de la Universidad de Alicante. Historia Medieval (10): 197–213. doi:10.14198/medieval.1994-1995.10.10. ISSN 0212-2480. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  2. Pigafetta, Filippo, 1533-1604.; Bal, Willy, 1916- ...; Impr. Darantière) (2002). Chandeigne (ed.). Le royaume de Congo & les contrées environnantes, 1591. Paris. OCLC 468987523.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Randles, William Graham Lister. [missing title]. Éditions de l’École des hautes études en sciences sociales. pp. 97–104. doi:10.4000/books.editionsehess.335. ISBN 978-2-7132-1302-1. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  4. Randles, William Graham Lister. [missing title]. pp. 97–104. doi:10.4000/books.editionsehess.335. ISBN 978-2-7132-1302-1. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
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