AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Bishop of Yamoussoukro appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Benedict XVI, on 1 July 2009 appinted Bishop of Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast), Rev. Marcellin Yao Kouadio, of the clergy of Daloa, national director of Catholic Education.
Rev. Marcellin Yao Kouadio, was born at Vavoua, in the diocese of Daloa, 10 January 1960. After primary school he went to secondary school in Daloa and then to St. Viateur College in Bouaké. He entered Abadjin-Kouté major seminary for philosophy and studied theology at the major seminary of Anyama. He was ordained a priest on 29 December 1990 and has since ministered as follows: 1991-1994: assistant priest and then parish priest at Zuenoula parish; 1994-2001: studies in Rome for a doctorate in Missiology and a Licentiate in Biblical Theology at Urban University; 2002 - 2006: Diocesan director of Catholic education for the diocese of Daloa and Sunday priest in many parishes including that of the Cathedral; since 2007, national director of Catholic Education, resident at Abadjin-Kouté major seminary; since 2008 part time docent at Anyama major seminary.
The diocese of Yamoussoukro, created in 1992, is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Bouaké. It has an area of 19,890sq km and a population of 1,102,825 (including 131,200 Catholics), 19 parishes, 38 diocesan priests, 13 religious, 7 seminarians and 79 women religious. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 1/7/2009; righe 17, parole 223)