The Archdiocese of Onitsha was founded by the missionaries of the Holy Ghost Congregation, mostly from Ireland, France, and Alsace Lorain. The missionaries landed at the present site of the Holy Trinity Cathedral on 5 December 1885. Onitsha was erected a prefecture in July 1889. It became the Vicariate of Southern Nigeria in April 1920, and in 1950, it was raised to the status of an archdiocese with the establishment of the hierarchy in Nigeria. The same year, Lagos and Kaduna were also made archdioceses.
Leadership: Bishop’s Profile
Most Rev. Dr. Valerian M. Okeke
- Date of Birth: October 20, 1953
- Priestly Ordination: July 11, 1981
- Episcopal Ordination: February 9, 2002
- Contact Address:
Archdiocesan Catholic Secretariat, Archbishop’s House
P.O. Box 411, Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria - Phone: 08033243780
- Email: secretariat@onitsha-archdiocese.org
- Website: www.onitsha-archdiocese.org
Most Rev. Denis Chidi Isizoh (Auxiliary Bishop)
- Date of Birth: January 24, 1956
- Priestly Ordination: September 28, 1985
- Episcopal Ordination: May 1, 2015
- Contact Address:
Auxiliary Bishop’s House, St. Joseph’s Aguleri
P.O. Box 411, Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria - Motto: Entirely for God
Ecclesiastical Province
- Province Name: Ecclesiastical Province of Onitsha
Statistics of the Diocese: At a Glance
- First Mass: December 26, 1885
- First Missionary: Rev. Fr. Joseph Lutz, CSSp
- First Bishop: Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Shanahan, CSSp
- Second Bishop: Most Rev. Charles Heery
- Third Bishop: Most Rev. Francis Arinze
- Fourth Bishop: Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Ezeanya
- Fifth Bishop: Most Rev. Dr. Albert Obiefuna
Historical Milestones
- Established as Mission: 1885
- Prefecture of Lower Niger: 1889
- Vicariate of Southern Nigeria: 1920
- Vicariate of Onitsha: 1948
- Archdiocese of Onitsha: 1950
- Granted a Basilica: 2007
Current Statistics
- Population of Diocese: 2,214,500
- Catholic Population: 1,476,326
- Archdiocesan Priests: 482
- Episcopal Regions: 8
- Deaneries: 20
- Parishes/Quasi-Parishes: 169
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