Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha

Archdiocese of Arusha

*Archidioecesis Arusha*

*Jimbo Kuu Katoliki la Arusha*
Archdiocese of Arusha; Archidioecesis Arusha; Jimbo Kuu Katoliki la Arusha
Catholic
Location
Country	Tanzania
Territory	Arusha Region and the Simanjiro and Kiteto districts of the Manyara Region
Episcopal conference	Tanzania Episcopal Conference
Ecclesiastical province	Arusha
Metropolitan	Arusha
Headquarters	St Theresa's Metropolitan Cathedral (Arusha)
Coordinates	3°22′16.8″S 36°41′29.3″E / 3.371333°S 36.691472°E
Statistics
Area	67,340 km2 (26,000 sq mi)
Population Total; Catholics;	(as of 2023); 3,223,000; 624,206 (19.4%);
Parishes	54
Churches	130
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	1 March 1963; 63 years ago
Cathedral	St. Theresa’s Metropolitan Cathedral
Patron saint	Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus
Secular priests	132 (total); 56 (diocesan); 76 (religious);
Language	Swahili
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Archbishop	Isaac Amani Massawe
Metropolitan Archbishop	Isaac Amani Massawe
Auxiliary Bishops	Prosper Balthazar Lyimo
Vicar General	Simon Tenges
Bishops emeritus	Josaphat Louis Lebulu
Website
	www.arusha-archdiocese.or.tz

The Archdiocese of Arusha (Latin: Archidioecesis Arushaënsis) is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Arusha, Tanzania. The archdiocese is the metropolitan see for the Ecclesiastical Province of Arusha. The suffragan dioceses of the archdiocese are Mbulu, Moshi and Same.

The archdiocese covers an area of about 67,340 square kilometres and includes the entire Arusha Region and two administrative districts of Manyara Region (Simanjiro and Kiteto) in north-eastern Tanzania.^[2]

History

The Archdiocese of Arusha is among 34 dioceses of the Catholic Church in Tanzania, which practise the Roman Rite. Evangelisation in Arusha started on July 15, 1926 when Holy Ghost Fathers missionaries from Kilimanjaro were invited to visit Arusha. At that time, Arusha was the part of Apostolic Vicariate of Kilima-Njaro. These priests arrived in Arusha and opened a mission in an area known as Mesopotamia. The Mission centre of Mesopotamia developed slowly into a parish, which became known as St Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish.^[3]^{[better source needed]}

March 1, 1963: Established as Diocese of Arusha from the Diocese of Moshi
March 16, 1999: Elevated as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Arusha

Special churches

The seat of the archbishop is St. Theresa’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Arusha.

Bishops

Bishops of Arusha (Roman Rite)
- Dennis Vincent Durning, C.S.Sp. (1963.03.01 – 1989.03.06)
- Fortunatus M. Lukanima (1989.03.06 – 1998.07.20)
- Josaphat Louis Lebulu (1998.11.28 – 1999.03.16); see below
Metropolitan Archbishops of Arusha (Roman Rite)
- Josaphat Louis Lebulu (1999.03.16 – 2017.12.27); see above
- Isaac Amani Massawe (2017.12.27 – )

Auxiliary Bishop

Prosper Balthazar Lyimo (2014– )

Suffragan dioceses

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 Annuario Pontificio (2023) via Catholic-Hierarchy.org^[1]

Citations

↑ "Archdiocese of Arusha". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
↑ "Kuhusu Jimbo Kuu Katoliki Arusha" [About the Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha]. Archdiocese of Arusha (in Swahili). Retrieved 21 March 2026.
↑ Ibada ya kumsimika Askofu Mkuu 2018 booklet

External links

[ap2024-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Annuario Pontificio (2023) via Catholic-Hierarchy.org^[1]

[catholic-hierarchy.darus-2] "Archdiocese of Arusha". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.

[3] "Kuhusu Jimbo Kuu Katoliki Arusha" [About the Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha]. Archdiocese of Arusha (in Swahili). Retrieved 21 March 2026.

[4] Ibada ya kumsimika Askofu Mkuu 2018 booklet

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