Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Bujumbura

Burundi

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Bujumbura / Buiumburaën(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Bubanza, Bururi

Neighbouring Dioceses: Bubanza (↑), Ngozi (↗), Gitega (→), Bururi (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1959.06.11: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Usumbura / Usumburæn(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Kitega and Apostolic Vicariate of Ngozi)
1959.11.10: Promoted as Diocese of Usumbura / Usumburæn(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Gitega)
1964.10.09: Renamed as Diocese of Bujumbura / Buiumburaën(sis) (Latin)
1980.06.07: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bubanza
2006.11.25: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bujumbura / Buiumburaën(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Bubanza and Bururi)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1990.09)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2018.03.24 – ...):

Archbishop Gervais Banshimiyubusa (73)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Bujumbura (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Gervais Banshimiyubusa (73)
(2018.03.24 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bujumbura (Burundi)

Caritas Christi urget nos

Born:	1952.09.09 (Gisuru, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1981.07.04
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.09.16

Priest of Ruyigi (Burundi) (1981.07.04 – 2000.05.10)

Coadjutor Bishop of Ngozi (Burundi) (2000.05.10 – 2002.12.14)

Bishop of Ngozi (Burundi) (2002.12.14 – 2018.03.24)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (2011 – 2017.03.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bujumbura (Burundi) (2018.03.24 – ...)

Archbishop Evariste Ngoyagoye (84)
(2006.11.25 – 2018.03.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Bujumbura (Burundi)

Servir l’amour

Born:	1942.01.03 (Jenda, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1966.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.08.24

Priest of Bujumbura (Burundi) (1966.01.06 – 1980.06.07)

Bishop of Bubanza (Burundi) (1980.06.07 – 1997.04.21)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (1986 – 1989)

President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (1990 – 2001)

Bishop of Bujumbura (Burundi) (1997.04.21 – 2006.11.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bujumbura (Burundi) (2006.11.25 – 2018.03.24)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (2007.07 – 2011)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (2011 – 2019.12.06)

Bishops of Bujumbura (Roman Rite)

Bishop Evariste Ngoyagoye (84) (later Archbishop)
(1997.04.21 – 2006.11.25)

(see above)

Bishop Simon Ntamwana (79) (later Archbishop)
(1988.11.14 – 1997.01.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Gitega (Burundi)

Charité et patience

Born:	1946.06.03 (Mukenke, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1974.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.02.05

Bishop of Bujumbura (Burundi) (1988.11.14 – 1997.01.24)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi (1997 – 2004)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Gitega (Burundi) (1997.01.24 – 2022.02.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Bururi (Burundi) (2005.11.21 – 2007.06.25)

President of Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (2007.07 – 2013.07.04)

Bishop Michel Ntuyahaga
(1964.10.09 – 1988.11.14)

Dummodo Christus annuntietur

Born:	1912.12 (Nyarugati, Burundi)
Ordained Priest:	1941.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.10.11
Died:	2002.06.11 († 89)

Titular Bishop of Alabanda (1959.06.11 – 1959.11.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Usumbura (Burundi) (1959.06.11 – 1959.11.10)

Bishop of Usumbura (Burundi) (1959.11.10 – 1964.10.09)

Bishop of Bujumbura (Burundi) (1964.10.09 – 1988.11.14)

Bishops of Usumbura (Roman Rite)

Bishop Michel Ntuyahaga
(1959.11.10 – 1964.10.09)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Usumbura (Roman Rite)

Bishop Michel Ntuyahaga
(1959.06.11 – 1959.11.10)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Regina Mundi, Bujumbura, Bujumbura Rural

Bubanza (↑), Ngozi (↗), Gitega (→), Bururi (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,200 km²

Population: 1,435,454 Catholics (70.0% of 2,050,770 total)

Pastoral Centres: 40 parishes, 6 missions

Personnel: 226 priests (159 diocesan, 67 religious), 783 religious (286 brothers, 497 sisters), 88 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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