Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Songea

Roman Catholic archdiocese in Tanzania, Africa

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Songea (Latin: Archidioecesis Songeana) is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Songea in Tanzania.

History

• 12 November 1913: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Lindi from the Apostolic Vicariate of Dar-es-Salaam
• 15 December 1927: Promoted as Diocese of Lindi
• 23 December 1931: Demoted as Territorial Abbacy of Peramiho
• 6 February 1969: Promoted as Diocese of Songea

Special churches

The seat of the archbishop is at the St. Mathias Mulumba Kalemba Metropolitan Cathedral in Songea.

Bishops

Ordinaries

• Prefects Apostolic of Lindi (Latin Church)
  • Willibrord Lay (1913–1922)
• Territorial Abbots of Peramiho (Roman rite)
  • Gallus Steiger (22 February 1922 – 6 December 1952)
  • Eberhard Spiess (9 September 1953 – 6 February 1969)
  • Emmanuel Mapunda (8 August 1965 – 6 February 1986)
• Bishop of Songea (Latin Church)
  • James Joseph Komba (6 February 1969 – 18 November 1987)
• Metropolitan Archbishops of Songea (Latin Church)
  • James Joseph Komba (18 November 1987 – 1 February 1992)
  • Norbert Wendelin Mtega (6 July 1992 – 15 May 2013)
  • Damian Denis Dallu (14 March 2014 –)

Auxiliary bishop

• James Joseph Komba (1961–1969), appointed Bishop here

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

• Emmanuel A. Mapunda, appointed Bishop of Mbinga in 1986

Suffragan dioceses

• Lindi
• Mbinga
• Mtwara
• Njombe
• Tunduru–Masasi

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Tanzania

Sources

• GCatholic.org
• Archdiocese of Songea website Archived 2014-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
• Catholic Hierarchy

10°40′46″S 35°38′46″E / 10.6794°S 35.6462°E / -10.6794; 35.6462