Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rabaul

Coordinates: 4°20′39″S 152°16′37″E / 4.3441°S 152.2770°E / -4.3441; 152.2770
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The

Metropolitan Archdiocese in Papua New Guinea
.

It has its

Co-Cathedral, St Francis Xavier's Co-Cathedral, in Rabaul
.

On June 19, 2020, Rochus Josef Tatamai, M.S.C. was appointed the new archbishop.

History

In 1844, it was established as

Apostolic Vicariate of Western Oceania
.

On 8 December 1890, it was renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of

New Pomerania
.

It lost territories repeatedly, to establish :

  • on 1896.02.24 the
    Apostolic Prefecture of Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land
  • on 1897.06.28 the
    Apostolic Vicariate of Gilbert Islands
  • on 1897.07.27 the
    Apostolic Prefecture of British Solomons
  • on 1898.05.23 the
    Apostolic Prefecture of German Solomon Islands
    (now its suffragan diocese Bougainville)
  • in 1905 the
    Mission sui juris of Marshall Islands
    .

On 14 November 1922, it was renamed after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Rabaul.

On 5 July 1957, it lost territory again to establish the

suffragan
diocese).

On 15 November 1966, it was promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Rabaul.

On 4 July 2003, it lost territory to establish another

suffragan see, the Diocese of Kimbe
.

Coat of arms
Archbishop Francesco Panfilo S.D.B. - Coat of arms

Province

Its

suffragan
bishoprics :

Bishops

(all Roman Rite; so far missionary members of Latin congregations)

Ordinaries

Apostolic Vicars of Melanesia
Apostolic Vicars of New Britain
  • Stanislas Henri Verjus, M.S.C. (1889.05.10 – 1889.12.28), Titular Bishop of
    Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic
    of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) (1889.12.28 – 1892.11.13)
  • Louis Couppé, M.S.C. (1889.12.28 – 1890.12.08 see below), Titular Bishop of Lerus (1889.12.28 – 1925.12.18)
Apostolic Vicar of new Pomerania
  • Louis Couppé, M.S.C. (see above 1890.12.08 – 1922.11.14 see below)
Apostolic Vicars of Rabaul
  • Louis Couppé, M.S.C. (see below 1922.11.14 – retired 1923), on emeritate promoted as
    Archbishop of Hierapolis
    (1925.12.18 – 1926.07.20)
  • Gerard Vesters (Gerardo Vesters), M.S.C. (1923.02.16 – 1938), Titular Bishop of
    Diocletianopolis in Palæstina
    (1923.02.16 – death 1954.08.30); previously Prefect Apostolic of Celebes (Indonesia) (1919.12 – 1923.02.16)
  • Leo Isidore Scharmach, M.S.C. (1939.06.13 – 1963), Titular Bishop of Mostene (1939.06.13 – 1964.11.26)
  • Johannes Höhne, M.S.C. (1963.03.01 – 1966.11.15 see below), Titular Bishop of Urima (1963.03.01 – 1966.11.15)
Metropolitan Archbishops of Rabaul

Coadjutor archbishop

Auxiliary bishops

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

  • Herman To Paivu
    , appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Port Moresby in 1974
  • Benedict To Varpin, appointed Bishop of Bereina in 1979
  • Francis Meli, appointed Bishop of Vanimo in 2018

See also

  • List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Papua New Guinea

References

Sources and external links

4°20′39″S 152°16′37″E / 4.3441°S 152.2770°E / -4.3441; 152.2770