Roman Catholic Diocese of Kikwit

Roman Catholic diocese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Diocese of Kikwit Dioecesis Kikuitensis

Location
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Metropolitan	Kinshasa
Statistics
Area	62,000 km² (24,000 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 3,809,220 2,004,852 (52.6%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Timothée Bodika Mansiyai, P.S.S.
Website
https://diocesedekikwit.org/

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kikwit (Latin: Kikuiten(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Kikwit in the ecclesiastical province of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

History

Established 18 April 1893 as Mission sui iuris of Kwango (or Koango), on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Léopoldville
Promoted on 31 January 1903 as Apostolic Prefecture of Kwango
Gained territory in March 1921 from the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Kasai
Promoted on 28 March 1928 to Apostolic Vicariate of Kwango, hence entitled to a titular bishop
Lost territory repeatedly:
- On 1 April 1931 to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Kisantu,
- On 28 January 1935 to the same;
- On 13 April 1937 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu
- On 25 April 1939 to the same.
- On 24 May 1950: to the Apostolic Vicariate of Léopoldville
Renamed on 21 February 1955 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Kikwit
Lost territory on 5 July 1957 to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Kenge
Promoted on 10 November 1959 as Diocese of Kikwit

Bishops

(all Roman rite, mostly missionary members of Latin congregations)

Ordinaries

Ecclesiastical superiors of the mission sui iuris of Kwango (Koango)

(not available -- 1893-1903)

Apostolic Prefects of Kwango

Julien Banckaert (1903 – 1911)
Stanislas de Vos, Society of Jesus (S.J.) (1911 – 1928)

Apostolic Vicars of Kwango

Silvain van Hee, S.J. (28 March 1928 – 20 February 1936), Titular Bishop of Possala (28 March 1928 – 26 March 1960)
Enrico van Schingen, S.J. (17 December 1936 – 2 July 1954), Titular Bishop of Phelbes (17 December 1936 – 2 July 1954)

Apostolic Vicar of Kikwit

André Lefèbvre, S.J. (25 February 1955 – 10 November 1959 see below), Titular Bishop of Raphanea (25 February 1955 – 10 November 1959)

Bishops of Kikwit

André Lefèbvre, S.J. (see above 10 November 1959 – 29 November 1967), later Titular Bishop of Thucca Terebenthina (29 November 1967 – 15 September 1976)
Alexander Mbuka-Nzundu (29 November 1967 – 14 October 1985), previously Titular Bishop of Cataquas &

Auxiliary Bishop of Kikwit (24 June 1961 – 29 November 1967)

Édouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O. (10 March 1986 – 19 November 2016), also Apostolic Administrator of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1991 – 22 April 1996); previously Titular Bishop of Aquæ Flaviæ & Auxiliary Bishop of Kikwit (8 November 1984 – 10 March 1986)
Timothée Bodika Mansiyai, P.S.S. (19 November 2016 - )