Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Merauke

Indonesia

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Merauke / Merauken(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Agats, Jayapura, Manokwari–Sorong, Timika

Neighbouring Dioceses: Darwin (↙), Agats (↖), Jayapura (↑), Daru–Kiunga (↗), Cairns (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1950.06.24: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Merauke / Merauken(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Amboina)
1966.11.15: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Merauke / Merauken(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Manokwari and Sukarnapura)
1969.05.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Agats and gained suffragan see Agats
2003.12.19: Gained suffragan see Timika

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2020.11.11 – ...):

Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi, M.S.C. (76)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Merauke (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi, M.S.C. (76)
(2020.11.11 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Merauke (Indonesia)

Nil nisi Christum

Born:	1949.04.27 (Kamangta, Sulawesi Utara, Indonesia)
Ordained Priest:	1975.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.09.18

Bishop of Amboina (Indonesia) (1994.06.10 – 2020.11.11)

Apostolic Administrator of Merauke (Indonesia) (2019.08.07 – 2020.11.11)

Apostolic Administrator of Amboina (Indonesia) (2020.11.11 – 2021.12.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Merauke (Indonesia) (2020.11.11 – ...)

Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi, M.S.C. (76) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2019.08.07 – 2020.11.11)

Bishop John Philip Saklil
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 2019.07.27 – 2019.08.03)

Archbishop Nicolaus Adi Seputra, M.S.C. (66)
(2004.04.07 – 2020.03.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Merauke (Indonesia)

Pasce oves meas

Born:	1959.12.06 (Purwokerto, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia)
Ordained Priest:	1989.02.01
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.07.25

Metropolitan Archbishop of Merauke (Indonesia) (2004.04.07 – 2020.03.28)

Archbishop Jacobus Duivenvoorde, M.S.C.
(1972.06.26 – 2004.04.07)

Unitas in vinculo pacis

Born:	1928.11.15 (Heemskerk, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1954.09.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.10.01
Died:	2011.11.16 (Tilburg, Netherlands † 83)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Merauke (Indonesia) (1972.06.26 – 2004.04.07)

Archbishop Herman Tillemans, M.S.C.
(1966.11.15 – 1972.06.26)

Born:	1902.07.31 (Grave, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1928.08.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.11.05
Died:	1975.08.23 (Merauke, Papua, Indonesia † 73)

Titular Bishop of Berissa (1950.06.25 – 1966.11.15)

Vicar Apostolic of Merauke (Indonesia) (1950.06.25 – 1966.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Merauke (Indonesia) (1966.11.15 – 1972.06.26)

Vicars Apostolic of Merauke (Roman Rite)

Bishop Herman Tillemans, M.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1950.06.25 – 1966.11.15)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Katedral Santo Fransiskus Xaverius, Merauke, Papua, Papua

Churches by City (37)

Darwin (↙), Agats (↖), Jayapura (↑), Daru–Kiunga (↗), Cairns (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 91,243 km²

Population: 185,203 Catholics (61.6% of 300,500 total)

Pastoral Centres: 41 parishes

Personnel: 53 priests (21 diocesan, 32 religious), 154 religious (42 brothers, 112 sisters), 25 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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