Catholic Cathedrals

West Africa 3

This blog covers Ghana, Benin, and Togo.

Ghana

Portuguese explorers came to Ghana in 1471 and discovered gold—Ghana was first known to Europeans as the Gold Coast. Other European nations also sought to exploit the area’s natural resources and engage in the slave trade. The British took control in the late 19th Century and Ghana became the first sub-Saharan nation to gain independence in 1957.

Catholic missionaries arrived in 1482, but evangelization was hindered by the slave trade and was not able to begin in earnest until 1880 with the arrival of the African Missions Society. About 58 percent of Ghana’s 28 million people are non-Catholic Christians. About 18 percent are Muslim and 13 percent are Catholic. Ghana has four Catholic ecclesiastic provinces—Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, and Tamale. In addition, the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom is immediately subject to the Pope. It was established as an apostolic prefecture in 2007 before becoming an apostolic vicariate in 2010. It is located in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Province of Cape Coast

The province consists of the Regions of Central, Western, and Western North in southwestern Ghana. The Apostolic Prefecture of Gold Coast was established in 1879 and became the Apostolic Vicariate of Gold Coast in 1901. It became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cape Coast in 1950. St. Francis de Sales Cathedral in Cape Coast was completed in 1926. See archcapegh.org.

Source as noted.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi was established in 1969.
The Diocese of Wiawso was established in 1999.

Province of Tamale

The province consists of the Regions of Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, and Upper West in northern Ghana. The Diocese of Tamale was established in 1950 and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tamale in 1977. Our Lady of Annunciation Cathedral is in Tamale.

Picture from ghanayello.com.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1926 and became an apostolic vicariate in 1934. It was suppressed in 1950 before being restored as a diocese in 1956.
The Diocese of Wa was established in 1959.
The Diocese of Damongo was established in 1995.
The Diocese of Yendi was established in 1999.

Province of Accra

The province consists of the Regions of Greater Accra, Eastern, Oti, and Volta in southeastern Ghana. The Apostolic Prefecture of Accra was established in 1943, became an apostolic vicariate in 1947, a diocese in 1950, and a metropolitan archdiocese in 1992. Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra was built between 1952 and 1957. See holyspiritcathedralaccra.org and accracatholic.org.

Pictures from Flickr and Panaramio.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Keta-Akatsi was established as an apostolic vicariate in 1923 and became a diocese in 1950.
The Diocese of Koforidua was established in 1992.
The Diocese of Ho was established in 1994.
The Diocese of Jasikan was established in 1994.

Province of Kumasi

The province consists of the Regions of Kumasi, Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo in southcentral Ghana. The Apostolic Vicariate of Kumasi was established in 1932, became a diocese in 1950, and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kumasi in 2002. St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica in Kumasi was designated a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 2004. See kumasicatholic.org.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Sunyani was established in 1973.
The Diocese of Konongo-Mampong was established in 1995.
The Diocese of Obuasi was established in 1995.
The Diocese of Goaso was established in 1997.
The Diocese of Techiman was established in 2007.

Benin

Based on the slave trade, Dahomey was a regional power from 1600 until the French took control in the second half of the 19th Century. Dahomey became independent in 1960 and was renamed Benin in 1975. Portuguese colonists built a chapel in Benin in 1680, but evangelization was slow until it became a French colony in 1894. The Church suffered persecution from a Marxist government that ruled Benin from 1975 to 1989. Benin has over 11 million people—28 percent are Muslim, 26 percent are Catholic, and other Christians account for 23 percent. There are two Catholic ecclesiastic provinces—Cotonou and Parakou.

Province of Cotonou

The province consists of southern Benin. The Apostolic Prefecture of Dahomey was established in 1883, became an apostolic vicariate in 1901, and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotonou in 1955. The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Misericorde in Cotonou is noted for its alternating burgundy and white striped tile exterior. The interior has sandstone and cream-colored arches.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Porto Novo was established as an apostolic vicariate in 1954 and became a diocese in 1955.
The Diocese of Abomey was established in 1963.
The Diocese of Lokossa was established in 1968.
The Diocese of Dassa-Zoume was established in 1995.

Province of Parakou

The province consists northern Benin. The Apostolic Prefecture of Parakou was established in 1948, became a diocese in 1964, and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Parakou in 1997.

Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Parakou was built in 1944 in a baroque style by the Society of African Missions. The cathedral has stained glass windows depicting the lives of Peter and Paul.

The Province has four suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Natitingou was established in 1964.
The Diocese of Kandi was established in 1994.
The Diocese of Djougou was established in 1995.
The Diocese of N’Dali was established in 1999.

Togo

Danish slave traders controlled Togo’s coast in the 1700s. Togo was controlled by Germany from 1884 to 1919 and then by France until Togo gained independence in 1960. Catholic missionaries from the African Missions Society first came to Togo in 1863. German missionaries came in the late 19th Century. After Germany lost Togo as a result of the First World War, many of the German missionaries were expelled and replaced by French missionaries. Catholics make up about 30 percent of Togo’s 8 million people. Perhaps 40 percent of the people practice folk religions and the rest are mostly Protestant or Muslim. There is one ecclesiastic province—Lome.

Province of Lome

The province consists of the nation of Togo. The Apostolic Prefecture of Togo was established in 1892, became an apostolic vicariate in 1914, and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lome in 1955. Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lome was built between 1901 and 1902.

Pictures are from Flickr, Pinterest, and Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

The Diocese of Sokode was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1937 and became a diocese in 1955.
The Diocese of Atakpame was established in 1964.
The Diocese of Dapaong was established as an apostolic prefecture in 1960 and became a diocese in 1965.
The Diocese of Aneho was established in 1994.
The Diocese of Kara was established in 1994.
The Diocese of Kpalime was established in 1994.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses. The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop. Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop. Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope. There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese. These include apostolic vicariates and apostolic prefectures, both of which are missionary territories.

A basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship. Some cathedrals are also basilicas. Each basilica has a ceremonial umbrella in the papal colors of white and yellow and a ceremonial bell. Both of these are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.