Diocese of Popokabaka, Congo-Kinshasa 🇨🇩

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Popokabaka / Popokabakaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kinshasa

Neighbouring Dioceses: Uíje (↙), Kisantu (↖), Kenge (↑), Kikwit (→), Dundo (↘), Malanje (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1961.06.24: Established as Diocese of Popokabaka / Popokabakaën(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Kisantu and became suffragan of Léopoldville)

Present Prelates

Bishop:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2026.01.28 – ...):	Msgr. Cyrille Ikomba Mankelele Mambi (56)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Popokabaka (Roman Rite)

Msgr. Cyrille Ikomba Mankelele Mambi (56)
(Apostolic Administrator 2026.01.28 – ...)

Msgr. Cyrille Ikomba Mankelele Mambi (56)
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 2024.06.09 – 2026.01.28)

Bishop Bernard Marie Fansaka Biniama (66)
(2020.06.29 – 2026.01.28)

Bishop emeritus of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa)

Nos urget caritas Christi

Born:	1959.06.29 (Misay, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1988.02.21
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.08.23

Priest of Kenge (Congo-Kinshasa) (1988.02.21 – 2020.06.29)

Bishop of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (2020.06.29 – 2026.01.28)

Bishop Louis Nzala Kianza
(1996.04.22 – 2020.06.29)

Born:	1946.02.06 (Kiamfu Kia Nzadi, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1972.08.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.07.14
Died:	2020.11.26 (Kinshasa, Congo-Kinshasa † 74)

Bishop of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1996.04.22 – 2020.06.29)

Apostolic Administrator of Idiofa (Congo-Kinshasa) (2006.05.31 – 2009.05.26)

Bishop Édouard Mununu Kasiala, O.C.S.O.
(Apostolic Administrator 1991 – 1996.04.22)

Bishop André Mayamba Mabuti Kathongo
(1979.12.01 – 1993.09.24)

Born:	1931 (Mukila, Congo-Kinshasa)
Ordained Priest:	1959.07.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.08.27
Died:	2016.04.12 († 84)

Coadjutor Bishop of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1978.04.27 – 1979.12.01)

Bishop of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1979.12.01 – 1993.09.24)

Bishop Pierre Bouckaert, S.J.
(1961.06.24 – 1979.12.01)

Born:	1914.07.27 (Schaerbeek, Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1946.07.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.10.08
Died:	1992.11.13 († 78)

Bishop of Popokabaka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1961.06.24 – 1979.12.01)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop André Mayamba Mabuti Kathongo (1978.04.27 – 1979.12.01)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Sainte-Famille, Popokabaka, Kwango

Uíje (↙), Kisantu (↖), Kenge (↑), Kikwit (→), Dundo (↘), Malanje (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 45,000 km²

Population: 957,000 Catholics (57.6% of 1,661,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 25 parishes, 10 missions

Personnel: 106 priests (95 diocesan, 11 religious), 141 religious (14 brothers, 127 sisters), 38 seminarians