Diocese of

Kwito-Bié

Angola

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Kwito-Bié / Kuito / Kvitobien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Huambo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Huambo (←), Sumbe (↖), Malanje (↑), Saurimo (↗), Luena (→), Menongue (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Nossa Senhora da Conceição (December 5)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1940.09.04: Established as Diocese of Silva Porto / Silva Portuen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of São Paulo de Loanda and became suffragan of Luanda)
1957.11.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Malanje
1963.07.01: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Luso
1977.02.03: Became suffragan of Huambo
1979.05.16: Renamed as Diocese of Kwito-Bié / Kuito / Kvitobien(sis) (Latin)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.03.28 – ...):

Bishop Vicente Sanombo (61)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Kwito-Bié (Roman Rite)

Bishop Vicente Sanombo (61)
(2024.03.28 – ...)

Bishop of Kwito-Bié (Angola)

Born:	1964.10.23 (Cangenge, Angola)
Ordained Priest:	1992.11.06
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.06.23

Priest of Huambo (Angola) (1992.11.06 – 2024.03.28)

Bishop of Kwito-Bié (Angola) (2024.03.28 – ...)

Bishop José Nambi
(1997.01.15 – 2022.10.31)

Born:	1949.06.05 (Londijimbo-Quinjemje, Angola)
Ordained Priest:	1976.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.03.17
Died:	2022.10.31 (Cuito, Angola † 73)

Priest of Benguela (Angola) (1976.08.15 – 1995.12.15)

Coadjutor Bishop of Kwito-Bié (Angola) (1995.12.15 – 1997.01.15)

Bishop of Kwito-Bié (Angola) (1997.01.15 – 2022.10.31)

Bishop Pedro Luís António
(1979.06.15 – 1997.01.15)

Born:	1921.01.13 (Caconda, Angola)
Ordained Priest:	1952.07.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.07.29
Died:	2014.07.25 († 93)

Bishop of Kwito-Bié (Angola) (1979.06.15 – 1997.01.15)

Bishop Manuel António Pires
(1979.05.16 – 1979.06.15)

Born:	1915.03.27 (Vinhais, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1939.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1955.06.29
Died:	1999.04.03 († 84)

Titular Bishop of Alia (1955.03.07 – 1958.09.23)

Coadjutor Bishop of Silva Porto (Angola) (1955.03.07 – 1958.09.23)

Bishop of Silva Porto (Angola) (1958.09.23 – 1979.05.16)

Apostolic Administrator of Luso (Angola) (1976.04.13 – 1977.02.03)

Bishop of Kwito-Bié (Angola) (1979.05.16 – 1979.06.15)

Bishops of Silva Porto (Roman Rite)

Bishop Manuel António Pires
(1958.09.23 – 1979.05.16)

(see above)

Bishop Antonio Ildefonse dos Santos Silva, O.S.B.
(1941.11.03 – 1958.08.17)

Born:	1893.11.08 (Macieira, Portugal)
Ordained Priest:	1917.10.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1942.07.26
Died:	1958.08.17 († 64)

Bishop of Silva Porto (Angola) (1941.11.03 – 1958.08.17)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop José Nambi (1995.12.15 – 1997.01.15)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Manuel António Pires (1955.03.07 – 1958.09.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sé Catedral de São Lourenço, Kuito, Bié

Huambo (←), Sumbe (↖), Malanje (↑), Saurimo (↗), Luena (→), Menongue (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 73,025 km²

Population: 1,079,000 Catholics (62.3% of 1,731,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 21 parishes

Personnel: 53 priests (41 diocesan, 12 religious), 127 religious (44 brothers, 83 sisters), 33 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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