Archdiocese of Antananarivo is a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Madagascar. It is based in the capital city of Antananarivo. The archdiocese was, for many years, one the bases for the spreading of Catholicism in Madagascar and the surrounding French Indian Ocean territories like Réunion, Comoros and others.
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What is now the Archdiocese of Antananarivo was founded as the Prefecture Apostolic of Madagascar in 1841 out of the Diocese of Saint-Denis-de-La Réunion in La Réunion. It was influential in the spreading of Christianity on Madagascar, despite what became known as "ny tany maizina", or "the time when the land was dark." It was a time of absolute persecution of any Malagasy that converted to Christianity and it is estimated that 150,000 Christians died then. Seven years later in 1848, the name was changed to the Vicariate Apostolic of Madagascar. For 50 years, it stood as such, until 1898, when it was named the Vicariate Apostolic of Central Madagascar (Madagascar Centrale). In 1913, it was renamed the Vicariate Apostolic of Tananarive and eventually it was elevated to its current title in 1955.
The archdiocese had a total population of about 2,1816,7149 in 2004, with about 27.1% of the residents being Catholic. 277 Priests operated in the Archdiocese, making for a ratio of 2,750 Catholics per priest. The Archbishop is Odon Marie Arsène Razanakolona. He is assisted by two Auxiliary Bishops, Jean Paul Randriamanana and Jean de Dieu Raoelison, who was formerly the Secretary General of the Madagascar episcopal conference and a professor at a seminary.