Angola

The Kingdom of Kongo consisted of a large part of central Africa from the 14th to the 19th Centuries.  That portion of the Kingdom which is now Angola started trading with the Portuguese in the late 15th Century.  Portugal established coastal towns and trading posts at that time and introduced Catholicism.  Angola became a Portuguese colony in 1914 and gained independence in 1975.  

About half of Angola’s 33 million people are Catholic.  Other Christians, mostly Protestant, account for another 38 percent.  There are five Catholic ecclesiastic provinces—Huambo, Luanda, Lubango, Malanje, and Saurimo.  Maronite-rite Catholics are under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of the Annunciation in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Province of Luanda

The province consists of the civil provinces of Luanda, Bengo, Cabinda, Cuanza Sul, and Zaire, in northwestern Angola.  The Diocese of Angola and the Congo was established in 1596 and this became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luanda in 1940. 

The Cathedral of the Holy Savior and Our Lady of Remedies in Luanda was built in the 17th Century.  It was in ruins by the late 19th Century and was restored between 1880 and 1900.  There are bell towers on both sides of the façade.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Sumbe was established in 1975 and acquired its current name in 2006.
• The Diocese of Mbanza Congo was established as the Diocese of Sao Salvador da Congo in 1596, was suppressed in 1628, and was restored under its current name in 1984.
• The Diocese of Cabinda was established in 1984.
• The Diocese of Caxito was established in 2007.
• The Diocese of Viana was established in 2007.

Province of Huambo

The province consists of the civil provinces of Huambo, Benguela, and Bie in west central Angola.  The Diocese of New Lisbon was established in 1940 and this became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Huambo in 1977.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Huambo was built between 1937 and 1939.

From the Archdiocesan website.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Kwito-Bie was established as the Diocese of Silva Porto in 1940 and acquired its current name in 1979.
• The Diocese of Benguela was established in 1970.
• The Diocese of Ganda was established in 2024.

Province of Lubango

The province consists of the civil regions of Huila, Cuando Cubango, Cunene, and Namibe, in southern Angola.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lubango was established as a diocese in 1955 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 1977.

St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Lubango was built in 1939 in a Gothic style with some art deco influence.  It has two towers.

Pictures are from Pinterest and Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Ondjiva was established a Mission sui juris in 1881, which was suppressed in 1940.  It became diocese in 1975.
• The Diocese of Menongue was established in 1975.
• The Diocese of Namibe was established in 2009.

Province of Malanje

The province consists of the civil provinces of Malanje, Cuanza Norte, and Uije, in northwestern Angola.  The Diocese of Malanje was created in 1957 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 2011.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is in Malanje.  Construction began on the cathedral in 1862, but it was never completed.  It was rebuilt in the 1920s.  There are towers on either side of the façade. 

From a local travel website.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Uije was established in 1967.
• The Diocese of Ndalatando was established in 1990.

Province of Saurimo

The province consists of the civil provinces of Lunda Sul, Lunda Norte, and Moxico, in eastern Angola.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saurimo began as a diocese in 1975 and became a metropolitan archdiocese in 2011.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Saurimo was built between 1958 and 1959.

From Wikipedia.

The Province has two suffragan dioceses.

• The Diocese of Luena was established in 1963.
• The Diocese of Dundo was established in 2001.

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 missionary jurisdictions below the level of a diocese which include Missions sui juris.