Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri (Latin: Nyerien(sis)) is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Nyeri, one of four in Kenya, Eastern Africa, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Nyeri Cathedral

The cathedral episcopal see of the archbishop is Our Lady of Consolata Cathedral, in Nyeri.

History

• September 14, 1905: Established as Mission “sui iuris” of Kenya, on colonial territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Zanguebar (now Archdiocese of Nairobi)
• July 12, 1909: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Kenya, hence entitled to a titular bishop by papal brief Supremi Apostolatus by Pius IX
• March 10, 1926: Renamed after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Nyeri, having lost territory to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Meru (now a suffragan diocese)
• March 23, 1953: Promoted as Diocese of Nyeri by papal bulla Quemadmodum ad Nos by Pius XII
• Lost territory on 25 November 1964 to establish the Diocese of Marsabit, now a suffragan
• Lost territory again on 17 March 1983 to establish the Diocese of Murang’a, again a suffragan
• May 21, 1990: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nyeri by papal bulla Cum in Keniana di papa by John Paul II
• Lost territory on 5 December 2002 to establish the Diocese of Nyahururu, as a suffragan.

Ecclesiastical Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own Archdiocese and the following Suffragan sees :

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Embu
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Maralal
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Marsabit, daughter
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru, daughter
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Muranga, daughter
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Nyahururu, daughter

Statistics

As per 2014, it pastorally served 490,000 Catholics (34.2% of 1,434,000 total) on 8,450 km² in 48 parishes and 39 missions with 133 priests (121 diocesan, 12 religious), 222 lay religious (72 brothers, 150 sisters) and 73 seminarians.

Ordinaries

(all Roman rite)

Ecclesiastical superiors of Missio sui iuris of Kenya : not available

Apostolic Vicars of Kenya

• Filippo Perlo, Consolata Missionaries (I.M.C.) (born Italy) (1909.07.15 – 1925.11.18), Titular Bishop of Maronea (1909.07.15 – 1948.11.04), later Superior General of Consolata Missionaries (1926.02.16 – retired 1929.01.11), died 1948
• Giuseppe Perrachon, I.M.C. (born Italy) (1925.12.18 – 1926.01.04 see below), Titular Bishop of Centuria (1925.12.18 – death 1944.04.14)

Apostolic Vicars of Nyeri

• Bishop-elect Giuseppe Perrachon, I.M.C. (see above 1926.01.04 – retired 1930.10.18), Titular Bishop of Centuria (1925.12.18 – death 1944.04.14)
• Carlo Re, I.M.C. (1931.12.14 – 1947) (born Italy), Titular Bishop of Hadrumetum (1931.12.14 – 1951.12.29), also Apostolic Administrator of Meru (Kenya) (1932 – 1936.09.16), later Bishop of Ampurias (Italy) (1951.12.29 – 1961.02.10) and Bishop of Civita–Tempio (Italy) (1951.12.29 – retired 1961.02.10), emeritate as Titular Bishop of Aspona (1961.02.10 – death 1978.08.12)
• Carlo Maria Cavallera, I.M.C. (1947.06.19 – 1953.03.25 see below), Titular Bishop of Sufes (1947.06.19 – 1953.03.25), also Apostolic Administrator of Meru (Kenya) (1947 – 1954.03.03)

Suffragan Bishops of Nyeri

• Carlo Maria Cavallera, I.M.C. (born Italy) (see above 1953.03.25 – 1964.11.25), later Bishop of Marsabit (Kenya) (1964.11.25 – retired 1981), died 1990
• Caesar Gatimu (1964.11.25 – death 1987.02.20) (first native incumbent), previously Titular Bishop of Abila in Palæstina (1961.04.18 – 1964.11.25) & Auxiliary Bishop of Nyeri (1961.04.18 – 1964.11.25)
• Nicodemus Kirima (1988.03.12 – 1990.05.21 see below), previously Bishop of Mombasa (Kenya) (1978.02.27 – 1988.03.12); also President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (1988 – 1991 and 1989 – 1997)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Nyeri

• Nicodemus Kirima (see above 1990.05.21 - death 2007.11.27)
  • Apostolic Administrator (2007.12 – 2008.04.19) John Njue, while Metropolitan Archbishop of Nairobi (Kenya) (2007.10.06 – ...) and Cardinal-Priest of Preziosissimo Sangue di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo (2007.11.24 [2008.02.17] – ...); previously Bishop of Embu (Kenya) (1986.06.09 – 2002.03.09), President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (1997 – 2003), Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri (2002.03.09 – 2007.10.06), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Isiolo (Kenya) (2005 – 2006.01.25), President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (2006 – 2015), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Murang’a (Kenya) (2006.11 – 2009.04.04)
• Peter J. Kairo (19 April 2008 - retired 23 April 2017), previously Bishop of Murang’a (Kenya) (1983.03.17 – 1997.04.21), Bishop of Nakuru (Kenya) (1997.04.21 – 2008.04.19)
• Anthony Muheria (2017.04.23 – ...): previously Bishop of Embu (Kenya) (2003.10.30 – 2008.06.28), Bishop of Kitui (Kenya) (2008.06.28 – 2017.04.23), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Machakos (Kenya) (2015.02 – 2017.04.23).

Parishes by Deanery

The Archdiocese of Nyeri consists of eight Deaneries, which comprise the following parishes :

• Nyeri Municipality Deanery
  • Cathedral Parish
  • St. Jude Parish
  • King’ong’o Parish
  • Mwenji Parish
  • Kimuiru Parish
  • Mathari Institutions Chaplaincy
  • St.Charles Lwanga Parish

• Murukwe-ini Deanery
  • Murukwe-ini Parish
  • Kaheti Parish
  • Kimondo Parish
  • Gikondi Parish

• Othaya Deanery
  • Othaya Parish
  • Kariko Parish
  • Birithia Parish
  • Karima Parish
  • Kagicha Parish
  • Karuthi Parish
  • Kigumo Parish

• Nanyuk Deanery
  • Nanyuki Parish
  • Dol Dol Parish
  • Matanya Parish
  • St. Teresa Parish
  • Kalalu Parish
• Narumoru Deanery
  • Narumoru Town Parish
  • Irigithathi Parish
  • Thegu Parish
  • Kiganjo Parish
  • Munyu Parish

• Karatina Deanery
  • Karatina Parish
  • Miiri Parish
  • Giakaibei Parish
  • Gikumbo Parish
  • Gathugu Parish
  • Ngandu Parish
  • Kabiru-ini Parish
  • Kahira-ini Parish

• Tetu Deanery
  • Tetu Parish
  • Wamagana Parish
  • Kigogo-ini Parish
  • Itheguri Parish
  • Gititu Parish
  • Kagaita Parish
  • Giakanja Parish
  • Karangia Parish

• Gatarakwa Deanery
  • Mweiga Parish
  • Endarasha Parish
  • Gatarakwa Parish
  • Karemeno Parish
  • Mugunda Parish
  • Sirima Parish
  • Winyumiririe Parish
  • Kamariki Parish

Contacts

Nyeri Catholic Secretariat, P.O. Box 288 - 10100, Nyeri. Tel: +254 721 785 169

See also

• List of Catholic dioceses in Kenya

Sources and external links

Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Vicariate Apostolic of Kenia.

• GCatholic.org - data for all sections
• archdiocese
• Vicariate Apostolic of Kenia, in Catholic Encyclopedia, New York, Encyclopedia Press, 1913

Coordinates: 0°25′35″S 36°57′10″E / 0.4263°S 36.9528°E / -0.4263; 36.9528