Yaoundé (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Jean Mbarga, Archbishop
Simon-Victor Tonyé Bakot, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 14 September 1955
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Cameroon
Square Kilometers: 4,964 (1,917 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.archidiocesedeyaounde.org
Mailing Address: Archeveche, B.P. 207, Yaounde, Cameroun
Telephone: 242.01.10.48

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Cameroun
- Erected: 18 March 1890
- Country: Cameroon
Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun
- Latin Name: Cameronensis
- Elevated: 2 January 1905
- Vicariate
- Country: Cameroon
Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé
- Latin Name: de Yaounde
- Name Changed: 3 April 1931
- Vicariate
- Country: Cameroon

Past and Present Ordinaries

Heinrich Vieter, S.A.C. † (18 Mar 1890 Appointed - 7 Nov 1914 Died)
Franziskus Xaver Hennemann, S.A.C. † (7 Nov 1914 Succeeded - 21 Jun 1922 Appointed, Prefect of Cape of Good Hope, Central District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Centrale})
François-Xavier Vogt, C.S.Sp. † (19 May 1923 Appointed - 4 Mar 1943 Died)
René Marie Graffin, C.S.Sp. † (4 Mar 1943 Succeeded - 6 Sep 1961 Resigned)
Jean Zoa † (11 Sep 1961 Appointed - 20 Mar 1998 Died)
André Wouking † (27 Nov 1998 Appointed - 10 Nov 2002 Died)
Simon-Victor Tonyé Bakot (18 Oct 2003 Appointed - 29 Jul 2013 Resigned)
Jean Mbarga (31 Oct 2014 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Cameroun
18 March 1890	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Two Guineas {Des Deux Guinées}	Prefecture Apostolic of Cameroun (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun
2 January 1905	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Cameroun	Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun
28 April 1914	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun Vicariate Apostolic of Khartoum Prefecture Apostolic of Oubangui Chari	Prefecture Apostolic of Adamaua (erected) (Adamawa)
11 June 1923	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Adamaua Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun (North-western part)	Prefecture Apostolic of Foumban
12 June 1923	Territory Lost	Prefecture Apostolic of Adamaua (Area under English control) Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun (Area under English control)	Prefecture Apostolic of Buéa (erected) (Victoria, Kumba, Manfe, and Bamenda)
31 March 1931	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun	Prefecture Apostolic of Douala (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé
3 April 1931	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Cameroun	Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé
11 July 1939	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of Foumban (Bafia)	Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé
3 March 1949	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé (Suat Nyong and Lom, and Kadei)	Vicariate Apostolic of Doumé (erected)
26 May 1950	Territory Added		Vicariate Apostolic of Douala (Ntem, Kribi, Sanaga maritime, and parts of Mungo and Wouri (left bank)) Vicariate Apostolic of Foumban (Bamoun, Bamileke, and parts of Mungo and Wouri (right bank)) Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé (Nyong, Sanaga, and Mbam)
Archdiocese of Yaoundé
14 September 1955	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé	Archdiocese of Yaoundé
24 June 1961	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Yaoundé	Diocese of Mbalmayo (erected)
6 July 1965	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Yaoundé (Mbam)	Prefecture Apostolic of Bafia (erected)
3 July 1987	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Yaoundé (Lekié and Haute-Sanaga)	Diocese of Obala (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé

1950 246,840 501,000 49.3% 34 76 110 2,244 111 98 ap1951

Archdiocese of Yaoundé

1970 378,426 511,607 74.0% 41 112 153 2,473 180 269 ap1971

1980 610,353 780,000 78.3% 63 92 155 3,937 172 301 70 ap1981

1990 506,550 1,150,000 44.0% 66 98 164 3,088 189 265 74 ap1991

1999 662,500 1,513,500 43.8% 128 152 280 2,366 319 380 132 ap2000

2000 668,000 1,515,000 44.1% 134 159 293 2,279 326 380 123 ap2001

2001 673,500 1,530,000 44.0% 124 163 287 2,346 327 389 123 ap2002

2002 680,235 1,545,300 44.0% 139 163 302 2,252 337 404 123 ap2003

2003 687,000 1,560,600 44.0% 111 179 290 2,368 332 414 123 ap2004

2004 693,800 1,576,200 44.0% 110 190 300 2,312 346 443 123 ap2005

2010 903,000 1,881,000 48.0% 171 243 414 2,181 408 623 132 ap2011

2014 1,282,840 2,670,000 48.0% 206 366 572 2,242 811 513 150 ap2015

2017 1,332,500 2,792,100 47.7% 250 470 720 1,850 1,201 1,271 158 ap2018

2020 1,431,300 3,000,300 47.7% 267 431 698 2,050 934 1,148 166 ap2021

2022 1,471,313 3,152,180 46.7% 320 426 746 1,972 835 1,174 187 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé
1950	246,840	501,000	49.3%	34	76	110	2,244	111	98		ap1951
Archdiocese of Yaoundé
1970	378,426	511,607	74.0%	41	112	153	2,473	180	269		ap1971
1980	610,353	780,000	78.3%	63	92	155	3,937	172	301	70	ap1981
1990	506,550	1,150,000	44.0%	66	98	164	3,088	189	265	74	ap1991
1999	662,500	1,513,500	43.8%	128	152	280	2,366	319	380	132	ap2000
2000	668,000	1,515,000	44.1%	134	159	293	2,279	326	380	123	ap2001
2001	673,500	1,530,000	44.0%	124	163	287	2,346	327	389	123	ap2002
2002	680,235	1,545,300	44.0%	139	163	302	2,252	337	404	123	ap2003
2003	687,000	1,560,600	44.0%	111	179	290	2,368	332	414	123	ap2004
2004	693,800	1,576,200	44.0%	110	190	300	2,312	346	443	123	ap2005
2010	903,000	1,881,000	48.0%	171	243	414	2,181	408	623	132	ap2011
2014	1,282,840	2,670,000	48.0%	206	366	572	2,242	811	513	150	ap2015
2017	1,332,500	2,792,100	47.7%	250	470	720	1,850	1,201	1,271	158	ap2018
2020	1,431,300	3,000,300	47.7%	267	431	698	2,050	934	1,148	166	ap2021
2022	1,471,313	3,152,180	46.7%	320	426	746	1,972	835	1,174	187	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Dieudonné Espoir Atangana (Priest: 21 Jun 1986 to 3 Jul 1987)
Jean Mbarga (Priest: 5 Dec 1981 to 15 Oct 2004; Apostolic Administrator: 29 Jul 2013; Archbishop: 31 Oct 2014)
Simon-Victor Tonyé Bakot (Archbishop: 18 Oct 2003 to 29 Jul 2013)
Christophe Zoa (Priest: 15 Jun 1991; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Nov 2006 to 4 Dec 2008)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Jean-Baptiste Ama † (Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Dec 1974 to 22 Jul 1983)
Joseph Befe Ateba † (Priest: 20 Jun 1987 to 19 Jun 2008)
Jean-Marie Benoît Balla † (Priest: 20 Jun 1987 to 3 May 2003)
Paul Etoga † (Priest: 19 Sep 1939; Auxiliary Bishop: 3 Jul 1955 to 24 Jun 1961)
René Marie Graffin, C.S.Sp. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 14 Dec 1931; Vicar Apostolic: 4 Mar 1943; Archbishop: 14 Sep 1955 to 6 Sep 1961)
Franziskus Xaver Hennemann, S.A.C. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 16 Jul 1913; Vicar Apostolic: 7 Nov 1914 to 21 Jun 1922)
Jérôme Owono-Mimboe † (Priest: 22 Jul 1962 to 3 Jul 1987)
Heinrich Vieter, S.A.C. † (Prefect: 18 Mar 1890; Vicar Apostolic: 2 Jan 1905 to 7 Nov 1914)
François-Xavier Vogt, C.S.Sp. † (Apostolic Administrator: 6 May 1922; Vicar Apostolic: 19 May 1923 to 4 Mar 1943)
André Wouking † (Archbishop: 27 Nov 1998 to 10 Nov 2002)
Jean Zoa † (Priest: 3 Oct 1950; Archbishop: 11 Sep 1961 to 20 Mar 1998)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Yaoundé
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 24, Page 42
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 31, Page 615
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 42, Page 890, and Page 891
Archdiocese of Yaoundé
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 48, Page 113, to Page 119
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 74, Page 666, and Page 667

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

Copyright David M. Cheney, 1996-2024
Code: web_d, v3.4.8, 30 Jun 2024; Data: 3 Sep 2024

✠

Archdiocese of Yaoundé

Archidioecesis Yaundensis