AFRICA/ANGOLA - Creation of ecclesiastical province of Saurimo and appointment of first Archbishop

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on 12 April 2011, created the new ecclesiastical province of Saurimo (area 77,600, population 420,000, Catholics 61,700, priests 11, religious 28) Angola, raising it to the rank of Metropolitan Church. The new ecclesiastical province will have as suffragans the dioceses of Lwena and Dundo. He appointed Bishop Jose Manuel Imbamba of the same diocese as Metropolitan Archbishop of the new circumscription. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 12/04/2011)