AFRICA/MALAWI - Creation of ecclesial province of Lilongwe and appointment of Metropolitan

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on 9 February 2011, created the ecclesial province of Lilongwe (Malawi), elevating the diocese of that name to the rank of Metropolitan Church and assigning it the suffragan dioceses of Dedza, Mzuzu and Karonga. He appointed Bishop Remi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie M. Afr of Lilongwe as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of the new Archdiocese.
The new ecclesial province of Lilongwe will be formed from the dioceses of Dedza, Mzuzu and Karonga (created on 21 July 2010), all situated in central and north Malawi. The current ecclesial province of Blantyre, rather, is made up of the suffragan dioceses if Chikwawa, Mangochi and Zomba, all in the south and south-east of the Country.
The new Archdiocese of Lilongwe has an area of 24,025 sq. km, population 4,660,000, Catholics 1,056,979, about 23%). There are 87 priests, (50 diocesan and 37 religious), 231 religious sisters and 46 major seminarians serving 32 parishes. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 9/02/2011)