Diocese of Abengourou, Cote d’Ivoire 🇨🇮

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Abengourou / Abenguruen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Bouaké

Neighbouring Dioceses: Agboville (↙), Yamoussoukro (←), Bouaké (↖), Bondoukou (↑), Wiawso (→), Grand-Bassam (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1963.09.13: Established as Diocese of Abengourou / Abenguruen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Abidjan, Diocese of Bouaké and Diocese of Katiola and became suffragan of Abidjan)
1987.07.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bondoukou
1994.12.19: Became suffragan of Bouaké

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.10.22 – ...):

Bishop Jean-Pierre Tanoh Tiémélé (57)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Abengourou (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Pierre Tanoh Tiémélé (57)
(2025.10.22 – ...)

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire)

Confirma fratres tuos

Born:	1969.02.22 (Treichville, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	2011.01.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2026.01.03

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (2025.10.22 – ...)

Bishop Ziri Boniface Gbaya, S.J. (76)
(2009.07.01 – 2025.10.22)

Bishop emeritus of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire)

Ecce mater tua

Born:	1949.12.31 (Gagnoa, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1976.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.08.22

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (2009.07.01 – 2025.10.22)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Côte d’Ivoire (2014.05.25 – 2017.05.21)

Bishop Jean-Jacques Koffi Oi Koffi (64) (later Archbishop)
(2003.11.21 – 2009.01.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gagnoa (Cote d’Ivoire)

Amen

Born:	1962.03.22 (Bongouanou, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1990.08.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.12.21

Priest of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (1990.08.04 – 2003.11.21)

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (2003.11.21 – 2009.01.03)

Bishop of San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire) (2009.01.03 – 2025.04.08)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Côte d’Ivoire (2017.05.21 – 2023.06.04)

Apostolic Administrator of Gagnoa (Cote d’Ivoire) (2023.10.04 – 2025.04.08)

Apostolic Administrator of San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire) (2025.04.08 – 2025.10.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gagnoa (Cote d’Ivoire) (2025.04.08 – ...)

Bishop Bruno Kouamé
(1981.03.26 – 2003.11.21)

Born:	1927.12.16 (Anoumaba, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1956.07.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.05.31
Died:	2021.05.17 (Bouaké, Cote d’Ivoire † 93)

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (1981.03.26 – 2003.11.21)

Bishop Laurent Yapi
(1979.01.12 – 1980.08.17)

Born:	1937.09.24 (Memni, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1963.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.10.25
Died:	1980.08.17 († 42)

Titular Bishop of Capsus (1970.09.21 – 1979.01.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) (1970.09.21 – 1979.01.12)

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (1979.01.12 – 1980.08.17)

Bishop Eugène Abissa Kwaku
(1963.09.13 – 1978.08.10)

Born:	1927 (Koun-Abronso, Cote d’Ivoire)
Ordained Priest:	1956.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1963.11.24
Died:	1978.08.10 († 50)

Bishop of Abengourou (Cote d’Ivoire) (1963.09.13 – 1978.08.10)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Sainte-Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus, Abengourou, Comoé

Agboville (↙), Yamoussoukro (←), Bouaké (↖), Bondoukou (↑), Wiawso (→), Grand-Bassam (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 18,214 km²

Population: 749,548 Catholics (35.7% of 2,100,617 total)

Pastoral Centres: 58 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 93 priests (diocesan), 64 religious (5 brothers, 59 sisters), 30 seminarians