Roman Catholic Diocese of Basankusu

Diocese of Basankusu Dioecesis Basankusuensis
Location
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Metropolitan	Mbandaka-Bikoro
Statistics
Area	70,000 km2 (27,000 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2006) 584,000 230,331 (39.4%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Libère Pwongo Bope
Auxiliary Bishops	Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Basankusu (Latin : Basankusuen(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Mbandaka-Bikoro in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The rebuilt Basankusu Cathedral

Its cathedral episcopal see is Cathédrale Saints-Pierre-et-Paul (Saints Peter and Paul) in the town of Basankusu.

History

• Established on 28 July 1926, as Apostolic Prefecture of Basankusu on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Nouvelle-Anvers
• 8 January 1948: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Basankusu
• Lost territory on 14 June 1951 to establish the then Apostolic Prefecture of Isangi (now a diocese)
• Promoted on 10 November 1959, as Diocese of Basankusu, ceasing to be exempt

Ordinaries

(all Latin Rite, mostly -initially missionary- members of Latin congregations)

Apostolic Prefects of Basankusu

• Gerardo Wantenaar, Mill Hill Missionaries (M.H.M.) (2 February 1927 – 8 January 1948 see below)

Apostolic Vicars of Basankusu

• Gerardo Wantenaar, M.H.M., Titular Bishop of Uzalis (8 July 1948 – 3 December 1951) (see above 8 January 1948 – 3 December 1951)
• Willem van Kester, M.H.M., Titular Bishop of Legia (19 June 1952 – 10 November 1959 see below)

Bishops of Basankusu

• Willem van Kester, M.H.M. (see above 10 November 1959 – 18 November 1974)
• Ignace Matondo Kwa Nzambi, Scheutists (C.I.C.M.) (18 November 1974 – 27 June 1998), appointed Bishop of Molegbe
• Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku (9 November 2001 - 11 November 2023), previously Apostolic Administrator (1998 – 9 November 2001) while Bishop of Bokungu–Ikela (Democratic Republic of Congo) (6 December 1993 – 9 November 2001)
• Libère Pwongo Bope (since 11 November 2023)

See also

• Roman Catholicism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sources and external links

• Giga-Catholic Information
• Catholic Hierarchy

1°13′13″N19°48′10″E / 1.2204°N 19.8029°E / 1.2204; 19.8029